


Danganronpa: Sub.Mel

by Maeriberii



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types
Genre: Dark, Dialogue Heavy, Fan Killing Game (Dangan Ronpa), Gen, Original Character(s), Psychology, Science Fiction, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-14
Updated: 2020-08-09
Packaged: 2021-01-30 13:42:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 5
Words: 171,541
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21429166
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Maeriberii/pseuds/Maeriberii
Summary: Sixteen students wake up in an underground shelter, unaware of the horrors that lie ahead. Though it may seem that all should share a common goal of escape, sometimes logic runs backward and some would prefer their own rules be run.
Kudos: 6





	1. Documentation

It is my sad duty to document this tale and I will do so, but not before warning you straight away that there is no room for any lingering feelings of happiness in anything relating to these children. This is an account of hope and despair. Of truth and lies. And nothing can change those facts. As I uncovered these events, I prayed myself that things would be alright for the poor children caught up in it, but as I progressed in my findings, it became apparent to me that nothing would be ‘alright’ as you will also come to find. If you do not take my warning, then prepare yourself for what is to come. I will warn you, though, this is a documentation. Not a story.

A girl with chestnut brown hair stirred slightly, the slight rise and fall of her chest quickening as her eyes fluttered open. Slowly rising to her knees, she looked around her. It seemed as if she were in an unfamiliar place. She opened her mouth for a second, before taking a breath and then finally speaking, “What the... Where am I?” She ran her fingers through her hair, a stubborn lock springing back up as she did and then her eyes fell on something peculiar. Just as she had been a few moments prior, a boy with bright orange hair was unconscious on the floor. His arms were wrapped around something large. The girl would have sworn it was an instrument, though she couldn’t remember which one was which. Regardless, she couldn’t just leave the boy there. She crawled over to him and began to shake him. 

“H-Hey!” She stuttered, then regained her composure. “Hey! Wake up!” The boy began to stir at her voice and the girl took a moment to notice his attire. While she was in her school uniform, a blue and white sailor fuku, he was in a rather heavy looking shirt, with a sweater tied to his waist. It certainly wasn’t a school uniform.

The boy groaned, lifting his head, “Why am I on... the floor? Where...” His words tumbled out of his mouth in a way that reminded the girl of a tangled ball of yarn. 

Something about the boy was familiar now that the girl got a better look at him, “Hey... Wait. I know you...” and with those words, a light bulb lit up in her head, “Do you go to Hope’s Peak Academy?”

Hope’s Peak Academy, a prestigious school where students were scouted depending on a talent they were exceedingly skilled at. Only the best went there and it just so happened that the girl attended the selective school. And if she was right in her assumptions, so did the boy.

He frowned, as if his memory was distant and he was trying to catch the right ones.   
“Nngh? I, huh?” After a moment of silence, he got up to his feet and the girl followed suit. Then he finally answered the question, “Yeah... I do, actually. My name is Haru Tanioto.”

Haru. A common name, but somehow it seemed to perfectly fit the boy. The girl then realised it was her turn. “Kouki Maekawa!” She smiled. The boy went to Hope’s Peak, right? It was only fair then that she share with him the talent that got her accepted into the school, “Uh, they call me the Super High School Level Abstract Artist.”

I’m going to stop here and explain about Hope’s Peak Academy’s students. Each one is referred to as an Ultimate and their talent is presented as either ‘Super High School Level’ or ‘Ultimate’. In Kouki’s case, either Super High School Level Abstract Artist or Ultimate Abstract Artist. As Hope’s Peak Academy has grown, it has gained interest from both easterners and westerners alike. Westerners prefer the shorter ‘Ultimate’ to the eastern ‘Chou koukou kyuu no’ or ‘Super High School Level’. I’ll get back to it, now.

“Oh, yeah...” Haru looked at the ground for a bit before picking up his instrument case. “It might be obvious, but I’m the Super High School Level Cellist...” Then he looked up at Kouki again. She wouldn’t ever admit to him that she forgot what a cello was, so she simply looked back at him with a vacant stare as he continued. “Hey, uh, Kouki... Do you know where we are?”

Kouki took a moment to process that before looking down and grabbing her arm. “Oh, I thought you might know.” Of course, this meant that Kouki, nor Haru, knew just what their situation entailed. In fact, it would’ve been much better if they were never aware. I can’t promise you that, but I can reassure you in the fact that it would be a bit before they knew ‘Why’ and even longer to know ‘Where’. All in due time.

A voice, loud and clear, rang out from behind the two. “Nobody here seems to know where or why. It’s likely that the same came be said for the rest of the unconscious people.” Both Kouki and Haru turned to see a large woman in a tank top. A lot of her skin was bare, revealing rippling muscles. She was imposing to say the least.

Haru, frozen in shock, couldn’t find the right words. Fortunately, though, Kouki managed to get something out, “H-Huh? Oh! I’m sorry, I didn’t see you there.” She was frightened by this woman who had managed to sneak up on them despite being larger than average. It seemed that she was someone to be wary of.

The woman, who looked rather mature, seemed to pick up on the fact that both Haru and Kouki were stunned by her sudden appearance and took the obvious course of action: an introduction, “Amari Hoshino. I’m the Super High School Level Bodyguard.” Her face reflected one emotion, a quiet determination. What Amari’s sights were set on, though, was unknown to the two other students. One thing was clear, though. This was a high school student and an Ultimate at that.

Haru frowned, off-put by Amari’s talent. “Bodyguard? I have a few questions about that...” He clutched his cello case closer to him, as if it would protect him should the bodyguard make a move against him.

Amari, however, didn’t move aside from a turn of her head to look off to the side. “Shoot.”

Haru took a deep breath then began to ask his questions, “If you’re a bodyguard... Do you have any weapons? Also, how long were you watching us? Who do you work for?” After the initial question, the rest smoothly fell out as if he had regained his composure.

“No. I don’t have any weapons on me at the moment. It seems they went missing after the initial attack.” Amari adjusted her evenly cut bangs that fell just above her left eye. The rest of her hair was tied into a low ponytail. “Secondly, I have been watching you two from before you woke up, just after I saw someone eyeing you... How odd, she seems to have gone missing. Either way, I felt the need to make sure she didn’t mess with you.” 

Amari looked around once again, as if this mysterious person would show up, but then she sighed and continued onto Haru’s third question, “Finally, my services have gone to many people. At the moment, I am serving a noble family of a higher class, though it was a short job that I am unable to perform at the moment for obvious reasons.” It seemed that Amari was in a similar boat as the other two, though she seemed cooler than an ice cube about it all. Perhaps it was because the bodyguard was used to tight situations.

In a different spin, the artist was more rattled than before. “Wait, now I have questions too. What attack? And who was this person looking at us?” She followed suit and looked around. Now that she did, she noticed that there were many others in the room, some still unconscious while others were making conversation. She couldn’t help but wonder, were they really all in the dark about this like Amari had said?

“It took me a little bit to remember after I woke up too, so I’m sure in time it will come to you, but I, personally, was knocked out by a figure before waking up here.” Amari explained. At the very least, she was being helpful enough. Despite looking intimidating, it seemed Amari had good intentions. “As for the person, I don’t see her anywhere in this room, but you can’t miss her. She’s blonde with a big red ribbon in her hair.”

Once again, Kouki scanned the room, looking for anything that could fit what Amari just described. And then, once again, she was met with disappointment. Until she looked down, that was. As her gaze traveled lower, it was met by a red-eyed stare of a small, strange looking girl crouched on the ground. “Kero.”

Haru’s head snapped downward to look at the source of the strange croaking noise. It was a girl... pretending to be a frog? He was confused... More confused than he should have been, he decided. But perhaps he should have been more confused about the girl. “Uh, miss?”

The girl cocked her head as if to show that she was listening to him. In a contrast to Haru’s own ginger hair, her’s was a forest green. It looked rather unnatural, too, as if it didn’t have the normal texture of hair. No... to Haru, it looked rather coarse. She croaked again, “Kero?”

He had no reason to, or so he believed, but Haru was getting frustrated and that emotion welling up inside of him only made him more heated. Thus, the wording of his question came out much harsher than he would have normally meant it even through they hesitation, “Can you speak like a normal... person?”

Kouki then gasped, prompting Haru to turn. Her brown eyes were fixed on the girl’s nose..? Perhaps just her face, “Hold on, Haru. Look at her skin!” Indeed, on a closer inspection, the girl’s skin had a strange greenish tint and a stranger texture than her hair. It looked... smoother, slicker, than a normal person’s skin.

The girl seemed rather oblivious to what Kouki was getting at, “K-Kero...?” She raised her hand to look at it, but frowned as she seemed to recall that it was covered in a thin, dark green glove. Shaking her head, she twisted her neck to look at her freckled shoulder, but to her, she looked normal.

“It’s almost like it’s- But isn’t that impossible?” Kouki looked closer at the girl’s face. Her freckles were looking more like straight up spots to her at this point. Her eyes looked large and her hairstyle was starting to more resemble a certain animal... Kouki crouched, leaning forward, “Hey, little girl... Are you part... frog?”

And as if it were a perfectly normal thing, the girl grinned innocently and nodded, “Kero!” It wasn’t possible. It simply wasn’t. Haru couldn’t believe it. Humans couldn’t be part frog. That didn’t work. How would it even remotely happen? He shuddered, indecent thoughts creeping into his mind about the frog girl’s possible origins.

Then he shook his head, looking for anything to distract him. There was one thing on his mind. “‘Kero’ is all you can say?” ‘Kero’, or for an English speaker, ‘Ribbit’ was the sound a frog made. It made more sense... No wait, none of it made sense!

Regardless, the girl nodded with another ‘Kero’, confirming his suspicions. If that were true, it meant that she would be hard to communicate with. Amari, however, instead of weirded out or just plain shocked, seemed to be more amazed. “A girl who is part frog. I have never heard of such a thing.”

Kouki blinked and then repeated her earlier sentiment, “Like I said, impossible! But... Here she is...” She brought a finger to her lips, as if in thought and then bit her tongue, apparently thinking hard. Then she looked back at the girl, “Do you have a name?”

At that moment, a small, thin girl with hair redder than Haru’s stepped toward the four. Her hair was tied into pigtails that reached her thighs. She looked fairly young, like the frog girl. Like an elementary schooler. When she spoke, however, her voice came out as a bark. Harsh and demanding, “Her name is Keroko or something like that. A Herpetologist. And she’s in high school just like you losers.”

The last two statements rocked Kouki, “Hold up, what!?”

Haru seemed equally as bewildered, “You’re kidding!” For if what the new girl said was true, that meant that this Keroko was... the Super High School Level Herpetologist. That seemed wrong somehow. She looked so young, yet she was a scientist!? And apparently, a good enough scientist to be considered an Ultimate.

The ginger girl snorted in annoyance though, placing a tiny hand on her cheek. Side by side, the girl made Keroko look even more unnatural. Like a normal human, the ginger’s body mass was equally distributed. Keroko’s arms, however, were very thin, as if they contained little muscle. Her legs, however, while mostly covered by her skirt, looked much more muscular. Like a frog. Haru realised. The new girl snapped Haru out of his thoughts, with a demanding retort to his statement, “Do I look like I’m kidding to you, music boy? For your information... I’m also a high schooler.”

Amari grunted, “Students these days are getting smaller and smaller...” True enough for the large Bodyguard to say. She dwarfed both Keroko and the new girl.

Ginger girl, who reminded Kouki of Halloween due to her orange and black clothes, didn’t seem to take Amari’s comment well and she screeched in anger, “What the hell is that supposed to mean, loser!?” It seemed she was fond of the word ‘Loser’.

“Hey, hey. I’m sure she didn’t mean it like that.” Kouki had raised her arms and she stepped in between Amari and Halloween-girl. She wouldn’t have admitted it, but she was worried about Amari squashing the tiny girl flat. “I’m Kouki. Kouki Maekawa. What about you, what’s your name?”

The girl closed her mouth, seeming to relax a bit before rolling her neck, “I’m Marise Kita, the Super High School Level Mystery Novelist-”

“Kita? Like the Marise Kita? The one who wrote all those books about Koriko!?” Kouki couldn’t help but cut in. The Fukui Chronicles was acclaimed across Japan for its suspenseful plots and intricate characters. Each sentence was written with so much care, it was like you were whisked away to a different universe each time you opened one of the books. Kouki, of course, finding talent in art forms of all types, was certainly familiar with them.

Marise seemed caught off-guard by the fact that anyone would have recognised her name. At least, any high schooler. Her books were tailored to adults. She would never have guessed that a student would appreciate them. She certainly didn’t herself, “H-Huh? Yeah, that’s me...” Her answer had almost been meek, but then she reclaimed her fire, “What about it!?”

Kouki blinked and then sporadically bowed several times, “A-Ah. Kita-san, I apologise for the rudeness.” 

Smirking and swelling with pride at the sudden respect, Marise spoke again, “Hmph. That’s more like it. But there’s no need for that -san business. It just makes you sound like a dignified loser.” She would never stand for honorifics attached to her name. She just, simply put, wasn’t a fan. Too professional.

Haru furrowed his brow. “I’ve seen you around Hope’s Peak too, I think... In the library.” Haru often spent his time there. It was calming to him and also...

“That’s right. You’re Haru Tanioto. The kid that was always told to shut up because he wouldn’t stop playing his damn cello in the Library.” As Marise’s words met his ears, Haru couldn’t help but recall the events. It had gotten to the point where the librarian wouldn’t even let him bring his cello into the library, though when he brought it up to administration, a compromise was formed. He could play soft music as long as it wasn’t disrupting so that he could further his talent. That was fine with him, as any sort of playing eased him.

His eyes met with Marise’s bright green eyes and he felt his face go hot under her scolding face, “Er... Yeah...” In an attempt to deflect, he turned his attention to his cello case, brushing at it with his hand. 

Marise seemed to have tired of Haru, though, as the mystery novelist turned to Amari. The height difference was rather comical, but both students looked threatening in their own right. There was no doubt in Amari’s mind that this little girl could hurt someone if she wanted. Marise placed a hand on her hip, “But I don’t remember seeing you ever.”

Amari dipped her head before smiling rather warmly, “I am Amari Hoshino, the Bodyguard. I was only around school for classes. Otherwise, I was out doing work.” 

Their conversation probably continued with Marise giving her usual sarcastic retorts, but Keroko didn’t stay to listen. Hopping like a frog, she headed away from the small group of people, looking behind her. Then she turned to look forward again and let out a startled croak. “K-Kero!” Standing just mere inches from her was... a doll?

Then, defying everything the herpetologist thought possible, the doll turned her head. How was it moving? Keroko studied the area around the doll, but there were no strings or humans. Was it remote controlled maybe? “Hm? Oh! You’re pretty cute!” It spoke! How though? 

Keroko shook her head in disbelief and shrunk lower to the floor in fear, “Ke...ro...” She was thoroughly frightened. She had never liked dolls. The way their soulless eyes seemed to stare into you... And this one moved! It was a perfect set-up for a horror movie.

Then the doll smiled and put her hands together, “I remember you! You were in my class at Hope’s Peak! Keroko, right?” She pointed at the frog girl as she said the last part. Even her individual fingers moved with precision. It seemed impossible even if it were remote controlled.

Regardless, Keroko thought it best to answer. So she nodded, “K-Kero...” The doll did seem somewhat familiar, but not enough that she was in her class. She would have seen them nearly everyday, right? Also, why would a doll be in high school? It just didn’t add up.

“I’m Niseko!” The doll beamed. Then she thought for a second. Keroko probably wouldn’t recognise that name, so she elaborated, “But you may have known me better as Setsuka. That’s because Setsuka is my master. After all, I’m just a doll created and controlled by her, the Super High School Level Dollmaker!”

Ah, that was it. There was a girl in her class who had dressed similarly to Niseko. That was Setsuka. Keroko didn’t like Setsuka very much, though. The dollmaker was... well, she was creepy. She didn’t talk very often, merely laughing. The only solace was that Setsuka had only been in class about half the time. She was mysterious. No one really knew who she was other than her title of ‘Dollmaker’. No one even knew her first name. There were rumors that it wasn’t on the school roll, either.

At this point, a tall boy stepped toward the group. He had deep purple hair with two locks that stood up reminding Keroko of a stag beetle. “A frog and a doll... How interesting.” His voice was smooth and melodic and Keroko couldn’t help but feel swayed by it.

She was surprised, though, by the fact he had initially guessed that she was part frog. Most people refused to believe it at first, so they dismissed it from their mind. His voice was edged with recognition and once she placed it, she remembered this boy and spoke on it, “Kero?” Knowing that the boy wouldn’t be able to understand her, she tilted her head to increase the effect of her croak.

Niseko, or Setsuka, for now I’ll call her Niseko to make it easier, smiled and put her hands together again. It seemed almost like a staple gesture for the doll, “Ah, you must be Yudai Shimizu! The Super High School Level Mask Maker?” Niseko was also familiar with this boy, just as she had been with Keroko. He had also been in their class.

“Well informed, I see. Yes, that precisely it.” He laughed, a joking expression on his face. “I am Yudai Shimizu just as you remember.” Yudai had been a transfer student. Only scouted a year prior. His arrival had been a strange one to be sure. He just showed up to class one day and acted like he had been there forever, though he never did disclose why he felt so comfortable.

“I also remember you from Hope’s Peak. Isn’t this wonderful? It’s like a big reunion!” Niseko looked up. Perhaps it was a trick of the light, but her left hand seemed to twitch slightly, as if undergoing a small glitch. Keroko noticed this spasm, small as it was, and wondered. The herpetologist remembered the strange circumstances surrounding Yudai, but perhaps what worried her more was Niseko’s behavior. In class, Setsuka had never been this... peppy. She was reclusive and creepy. The type of person who never associated with others.

Yudai, however, was focused on something else that seemed off. The more practical, in-the-moment thing. “Somehow I feel something more sinister will be at play here. But, alas. That is just the feeling I get...” He looked around. There were a few doors, but all were locked. He checked previously. If this was a kidnapping, it was a flawless one with at least fifteen victims. Yudai’s voice trailed off when his gaze traveled across another person. 

One could have noticed his bright yellow outfit or perhaps his muscles, just barely visible under the thick fabric... That is if they weren’t immediately distracted by the mask covering his face. It was a full on welding mask, strapped to his head. His entire face was covered, leaving his identity a mystery. Keroko noticed him after both Yudai and Setsuka had and couldn’t hide her surprise, “K-Kero?”

Niseko, on the other hand, tilted her head, “Hm. I’m not sure we’ve met, but judging by your mask I can only assume-” 

“Honda.” She didn’t get too far before she was interrupted by the large man, “Rikuto Honda. The Super High School Level Welder.”

“Right. A Welder!” Niseko continued motioning toward his mask. His voice had been muffled by it, but Rikuto was still audible. Perhaps the part that didn’t make sense was how he could see out of it. Niseko, or rather, Setsuka had never worn a welding mask, but she knew that it’s purpose was to protect the wearer from the heat and light while welding. It was dark to ensure one’s eyesight was safe.

Yudai had a different idea of where to take the conversation however and he spoke up, “Introductions roll off the tongue like the waves of the sea, flowing off Poseidon’s trident... Yet is someone not still unfamiliar with the two of you... Doll and Frog?”

Of course Yudai was referring to Rikuto. He hadn’t ever seen the three at all, instead choosing to spend his time at Hope’s Peak Academy in his dorm, practicing his craft. “I’m Niseko... My master is the Dollmaker, Setsuka. And this is Keroko, a Herpetologist! Teehee! Now I’ve met a Welder too!”

“Optimistic.” Rikuto grunted. He was never one for long-winded speeches. Instead, he liked to stay on the point. In his experience, it was what people expected from him, too. The man who never showed his face and barely spoke, it was what they wanted.

Niseko frowned, “Is there something wrong with that?”

Rikuto looked toward the ceiling, “There is a heavy feeling in the air.” One may not expect it, but Rikuto was very in tune with his surroundings. His instinct was almost always right on the money. Niseko wished he would explain what he meant, but Rikuto made no other sound.

Instead, it was Yudai who elaborated as, clearly, Rikuto had no interest in answering, “It is as I said before... You seem to think these waters as calm when, in actuality, a storm is brewing.” His words and analogies made little more sense than Rikuto. However the welder looked up.

He seemed to get what Yudai was saying and he responded accordingly, “A storm. Even if there were a storm, the water would not reach us here.” His gaze reached someone sitting in a flamboyant pink shirt behind Yudai and his next destination was set.

“Perhaps...” As he walked, he barely even heard Yudai’s voice, “But if the heavens willed it, would rain not touch anywhere?” 

The pink boy looked up as Rikuto towered over him. Then he stood and inspected the mask over Rikuto’s face, making strange humming noises, “Mm... Mm... Mmmmmm...”

“Hm?” Rikuto brought a finger to his chin. This boy was also unfamiliar to him, but he wore a nametag. It said ‘Rakusharii’ or ‘Luxury’. Rikuto had a distinct feeling that this wasn’t the clearly Japanese boy’s real name.

“Ah, this mask is no good.” ‘Luxury’ finally said, prodding at Rikuto’s mask. 

Batting the boy’s finger away, Rikuto frowned, something unseen to anyone but himself, “I don’t understand.”

“I can’t tell what to do for you if you don’t show me your face!” He raised his arms, as if surrendering to something. His golden eyes sparkled with mischief.

Rikuto had no idea what he was referring to, but it hardly mattered to him. His response would’ve stayed the same regardless, “The mask stays on.” Besides, Rikuto had an idea of what he meant. ‘Luxury’s face was pristinely coated with makeup. If Rikuto had to guess, this boy’s talent had to do with it.

The boy winked, “What a shame! What a shame! Perhaps in time, then.” He raised a makeup brush and lightly fiddled with it.

Rikuto finally decided to cut to the chase, “Who are you?” The boy had seemed to be avoiding that question. Surely he didn’t really want to be known as ‘Luxury’ his entire life, right?

“Ah, don’t worry! Don’t worry! I have credentials.” Apparently the boy seemed to take the question as one of skepticism rather than simple curiosity. Rikuto supposed that his blunt nature didn’t help, nor did his appearance. “I’m Shigeru Fujioka, the Super High School Level Cosmetologist.”

It seemed Shigeru wouldn’t be making this unnecessarily hard after all like Rikuto thought. Perhaps he was sharper than he looked and acted. But... Rikuto had to admit... He didn’t know what a cosmetologist was. “Hm.”

Shigeru seemed to pick up on his subtle clues. His question was soft, but it was as if he could see straight through Rikuto’s mask. “Whatever seems to be the matter?” Rikuto liked people who got him. People he didn’t have to explain his every feeling to.

A little bit awkwardly, Rikuto asked his question, “Do you study... stars?” It made perfect sense to the welder. Cosmetologist, cosmos... Didn’t the Soviet Union also name their astronauts ‘cosmonauts’? Unfortunately for Rikuto, cosmetologists were different from cosmologists. One came from a french word adapted from greek, the other just greek.

“Heh?” Shigeru frowned for a second before realising where Rikuto’s blunder had come from, “No, no! I’m a makeup artist!” It was a simple enough error, but Shigeru liked to liken ‘cosmetologist’ to ‘cosmetics’. They did come from the same root word after all. ‘Cosmétologie’ coming from ‘kosmetos’...

Had Shigeru taken the time to explain that, Rikuto’s next answer might have been different, but as it was, he simply said “I see.” to avoid any further confusion.

“Er, do you?” Rikuto stiffened. Had the Cosmetologist seen right through him with those scrutinising yellow eyes of his? Thankfully for him, Shigeru dropped it for another topic, “Well, never mind all that! What’s your name?”

Rikuto nodded, “Rikuto Honda.” It was simple and to the point. His talent was obvious at one glance as well. 

Shigeru nodded, glancing at his welding mask again. “Aha. A welder, I’d presume. So you don’t mind if I just call you Riku, right?” If the conversation had revealed anything to Rikuto, it was that Shigeru was very easy going.

No one had ever tried to give Rikuto a nickname before, though, so his answer was quite blunt, “Does it matter?” He didn’t mean it to come off as rude in any way, though, and if it did, he was ready to apologise.

Thankfully, Shigeru didn’t seem to take it that way. But he also didn’t derive an answer from it, “Hmhm! Of course! If you are not comfortable, I shall-”

“I do not have a preference.” Rikuto cut him off. What could he say? He wasn’t used to social interactions. Shigeru, of course, with his killer looks and great attention to other people’s opinions toward him, was, but even he was having trouble with the shut-in Welder.

“I-I see, I see...” Shigeru was, either thankfully or not, rescued from the awkward interaction between him and Rikuto as someone else darted in between them.

His running had come to a stop so quickly, it was like he defied gravity. The way his cape and ponytail fluttered behind him, like some sort of majestic knight, and his confident smile didn’t give any insight as to how he was truly feeling, but when he spoke, his voice did betray some of his nervousness, “Ahhhh! You won’t believe what I saw! Hoo, boy. I’m a lucky duck, for sure!”

The boy who had just arrived smoothed his crimson hair and then looked at Shigeru, then Rikuto, as if just realising who he had run to. Shigeru’s mind on the other hand sparked with familiarity, “Oh, Kanna... Was it?” He recalled Kanna. After all the boy had been in his class.

“Surprised you remembered! No offense, but you always seemed a bit scattered.” Kanna admitted. He, of course, remembered everyone in his class. It was just basic courtesy, right? The big guy in yellow, though, was unfamiliar to even him, however. As Kanna’s gray eyes scanned Rikuto, he couldn’t find anything to latch onto to betray who he was. As far as Kanna knew, there was no welder at Hope’s Peak. 

That was, naturally, because Rikuto barely left his room. And when he did, it was under the cover of night. Kanna always got a perfect amount of sleep, his motives soon to be revealed. Shigeru nodded, as if Kanna’s comment wasn’t insulting in the slightest, “None taken. I must come off that way to someone like you.”

“Super High School Level Perfection is hard to match...” Rikuto frowned under his mask. To him, Shigeru seemed very put together. Could this Kanna be so organised that even the cosmetologist seemed a wreck to him? Was an ‘Ultimate Perfection’ really possible? “However! I think that you can learn to be perfect at what you do too, Shigeru! And I see you’ve found a friend. Good sir, I am Kanna Kanichi.”

“Perfection.” Rikuto repeated. Perhaps it was just Kanna trying to chalk himself up to be more than he really was... But then, his movements earlier weren’t just a fluke. He seemed so natural. Almost... perfect.

Kanna laughed a bit at Rikuto’s statement, “That’s right. I’m called the Super High School Level Perfection. It’s a stressful title for sure, but, at the least, I can use it to help out everyone here, be it getting out or unlocking true potential!” Kanna seemed to share the sentiments that escape would not be as straightforward as just walking out. Rikuto had known that he wasn’t the only one who thought that, Yudai had said as much. But now here was another agreement, coming from one who called himself perfection, nonetheless.

Shigeru must’ve picked up on the fact that Rikuto wasn’t quite sure on how introductions worked, as he then motioned toward the Welder, “This is Rikuto Honda.” and then he added, “He doesn’t seem to talk much.” Perhaps this might have been offensive to some, but Rikuto merely assumed Shigeru to be stating facts.

“I could figure. Many men like you seem to be that way.” Rikuto thought about that as Kanna spoke. Was that not his own reasoning for it? He acted the way he did because others before him had. Kanna seemed to understand, and yet... “It’s almost a trope by now! But I wonder... Do you fit it to perfection yet? Are you flawless at your talent? Or is there that which I could help you work on?”

“Perfection is fleeting. It is a standard we’ve set that we shall never reach.” Rikuto had made up his mind. Ultimate Perfection was impossible. It was, ironically enough, an imperfection by Hope’s Peak Academy, assigning such a title to a student. 

Silence pervaded the trio for a bit before Shigeru broke the silence, bringing attention back to Kanna’s earlier actions, “A-Anyway, Kanna. What did you see?”

The prodigy placed a hand to his head, as if remembering such an event was strenuous. “There was this person... I didn’t see much of them on account of those scary, scary eyes!” Kanna wouldn’t admit any more of his interaction with said person, it was quite embarrassing for him. Rather, he looked across the room until his gaze set upon the person in question. 

“Eyes?” Shigeru wondered aloud. How could eyes be scary? Perhaps if one saw him in a dark alley, they would be startled at first by his bright yellow eyes, but they weren’t scary per se. 

“Who was this person?” Asking the relevant question, Rikuto stared down Kanna and, though the prodigy couldn’t see it, he still felt as though Rikuto were watching him closely.

“Erm, lemme see...” Adding the suspense first, Kanna slowly turned his head to see him again, the boy with dark brown hair and eyes, in an apron. The boy didn’t seem to notice Kanna looking at him and after a quick second, Kanna raised his arm to point, “Oh, that guy over there!”

The boy still didn’t notice the group, not even as all three of them looked in his direction. Instead, he was fixated on the girl in front of him. She had deep blue hair that covered her eyes, long and pulled back into a ponytail. If I must say, I will state that this girl, out of everyone currently trapped there, is the one that would frighten me the most if I saw her at first glance. Perhaps it is the way she carries herself, or how her emotions are always obscured, but much unlike Rikuto’s. 

The boy, however, was already familiar with her, as the girl had been in his class at Hope’s Peak Academy. He knew what she was like already and she also knew what she was capable of, so when someone new and foreign to him approached the girl from behind, it was no surprise to him when she said without turning, “Ah, someone new has joined us.”

The girl, one small in stature, but, dare I say, threatening looking, narrowed her red eyes. Strapped to her back was a katana. On her hip, a wakizashi. The boy wondered if they were real. Surely not, right? Her voice seemed strange when it met the boy’s ears. It was quiet, with the slightest hint of a dialect, “How... interesting. You did not even turn to look at me.”

The newer girl folded her arms and shut her eyes, almost giving her a meditative look. It seemed that she was a person of calm demeanor, which made the fact that she possibly carried weapons slightly less scary. The first girl answered her quietly, “Yes, I’m aware... I heard you.”

With that, the girl with the swords opened her eyes, it was such a simple action, yet paired with her harsh voice, it made the boy jump, “Is that so?”

Her question had been so direct that the boy felt the need to cover his blunder, “S-so, who are you anyway, Miss, uh, S-sword girl...?” The thing that had startled Kanna was his eyes, they were wider than they should’ve been at any given point in time, but the boy was not a threat to anybody. He was as timid as a mouse and, of course, his stuttering caused by his violent shaking didn’t help anything.

Miss sword girl picked up on this as well, unfortunately, “You’re very jumpy.” The boy couldn’t expect anyone to not notice. It was painfully obvious that he was shakier than a leaf in a windstorm. The girl then moved to introduce herself. With a bow that showed deep respect, she spoke, “My name is Mei Meiyo. I am called the Super High School Level Ninja.”

Had her talent not been said and her appearance not been so frightening, the boy might have commented on her name. It was quite silly sounding, being alliterative and all, but alas, he remained silent. After a brief moment of silence, the blue haired girl responded with an introduction of her own, though she didn’t return the bow, “I am Ami Yumekuu... The Super High School Level Hypnotist.”

“I see...” Mei brought a finger to her chin, eyeing Ami. She brought her hand to her chest and then stopped. It was gone... But gone where? Had someone taken it? At the very least, they had left her with that which she must never let go... Regardless, Mei would have to go about this the old fashioned way, “What is a hypnotist?”

Ami didn’t seem to understand Mei’s question even though there was no doubt she heard it perfectly. “Oh, please pay no heed. I would not like my talent getting in the way of your opinions.” She raised her hands defensively and then dipped her head.

Mei would not leave without an answer though and she placed her hand on the hilt of her wakizashi. Perhaps the boy was wrong. Perhaps she was more quick to cut than he had originally imagined. He realised he had to warn Ami, so he quickly blurted out, “H-Hey, Ami... She’s got her hand on that sword there... You sure this is alright?”

“I am aware. Calm yourself.” Ami’s voice didn’t waver. She knew the threat of what she was dealing with. Someone called the Ultimate Ninja must be so proficient enough with a blade that they could easily strike down any foe. However, Ami still didn’t realise that Mei’s question was genuine.

So the swordswoman repeated herself, a hint of desperation edging her voice, “But what is a hypnotist?” This was precisely why she didn’t like to rely on others. It was difficult to get anything out of them. Sometimes they were scared of her, other times just noncompliant. 

Slowly realising that Mei was actually asking her a question, Ami started slow, she needed to know just how in the dark Mei really was, “Someone who... hypnotises?” Instinctively, she reached toward her pocket, where her pocket watch was stored. 

“I do not understand.” Mei said, her grip tightening around the handle of the sword. At this point, the desperation within her was growing strong. She needed to know the answer. 

Deciding that a simple answer would be best, Ami simply said, “ It’s like falling asleep, but being controlled.” True enough. The swordswoman would be satisfied with that. 

“I... see.” In one fluid motion, Mei drew her wakizashi, a white and gold blade and spun around to point it at the boy, “Who are you?”

He jumped as the blade got close and yelped, “Aah! She drew her blade!” Perhaps he was stating the obvious, but it was also true that the boy had yet to utter his name. Like Shigeru, he wore a name tag, but his read what must be his family name. Mei recognised the kanji. The first had to read ‘Taka’ as that was almost always the reading used in names. The second... was it ‘Nichi’ or ‘Jitsu’?

“Answer.” Mei demanded, pushing her sword closer to the boy. Takabi? Takaga? She simply didn’t know. She did however know that the meaning was akin to ‘High Sun’. Mei’s own surname meant ‘Honor’ and it was an honor she would protect.

“Sh-Shohei! Takanichi! B-B-Barista!” His words came out jumbled and choppy, but they still got the point across. Shohei Takanichi the Super High School Level... Barista? To Ami, it made perfect sense. Shohei was always shaky and jumpy due to caffeine. Yet to someone who had never even seen a coffee bean, Mei just ended up more confused than before.

She decided to cut straight to the chase, still keeping Shohei at swordpoint, “Barista?”

“Y-Yes. I serve... coffee...” Who was this person, Shohei wondered, to not know what a hypnotist or a barista was? She must surely know the meaning of...

“Coffee?” And a bust. Mei had no clue what ‘coffee’ was. In fact, the honorable swordswoman was unfamiliar with any drink that wasn’t water. The pure substance was all she ever had to drink.

Regardless, Shohei had to elaborate, his neck still in danger from Mei’s sword, “It’s a... d-drink.”

And finally, with that, Mei sheathed the white blade back into its crimson sheath. “You must familiarise me with it later.” Then she turned toward Ami again, eyeing up the Hypnotist.

Shohei took this opportunity to back away from the dangerous woman. He got as far as he could before, quite literally, running into someone. He turned to look at a small boy with forest green hair that stuck up in different directions. He grinned when he locked eyes with Shohei, “Oh, hey there! Vote for me please.”

Shohei had to blink in surprise. The kid had said it so nonchalantly that it seemed perfectly natural for him to ask such a random question in such a random place. When the boy kept staring at him expectantly, he opened his mouth to speak, his words coming out in jumbled bunches. “I... uh... wh-what?”

The boy reached behind him and pulled out some sort of poster. It looked like a... campaigning poster? “Nori Sasaki’s the name, politics is my game! So a vote for Sasaki won’t just change your life, but the future!” Oh great, the kid was a stereotypical politician. It must’ve been his talent, the Super High School Level Politician.

Should Shohei introduce himself? Would the politician even care? Might as well go for it, “Um, Sh-Shohei Takanichi. I’m the Super High School Level B-B-Barista...”

Nori grinned even wider. He darted off and almost immediately came back with someone in tow. “Ahhh, I think you’d make a good partner with my friend Yamato here!” Shohei blinked. ...Partner? What kind of partner did Nori have in mind?

“ Friend? We just met-” For a brief moment, the new guy didn’t look too thrilled. He held on his top hat to prevent it from falling off and the other clutched onto a big, round, silver hoop. He glared at Nori, then he seemed to notice that Shohei was there too and his frown was replaced with a large smile. “I mean. Yes! I can welcome everyone and anyone! I am Yamato Yukimura, the Super High School Level Ringmaster!”

Was that what the hoop was for? To accentuate his status as ringmaster by carrying an actual ring? Shohei didn’t think ringmasters usually carried rings, but he decided against pointing that out, “N-Nice to meet you...”

“Hopefully the act begins soon, so that we may know what dangers lie ahead!” Yamato beamed, despite what he had just said. 

Shohei was instead filled with dread, “D-Dangers?” It seemed that unlike Yudai, Rikuto, and Kanna, the thought of this being a bad thing never crossed the barista’s mind.

But a different voice answered him, “We’re in no danger. Yet.” The ‘yet’ was so seamlessly placed on the end that Shohei almost didn’t notice it. He turned to see the orange haired cellist, whom he had not been introduced to yet.

At the sight of Haru, Yamato narrowed his purple eyes, “Huh? Did you just inter-” But he cut himself off like before, filling the void with another smile, which was becoming increasingly more fake, “I mean, who are you, young man?”

“Haru Tanioto.” Haru responded. As he said that, Kouki wandered toward them, surprised at Haru’s sudden change in tone. It wasn’t at all like the slightly awkward, timid boy she had woken up. How many people here had a darker, underlying personality. Haru then continued, “And drop the act. It’s a bit sad looking.”

Yamato had to forcibly stop himself from audibly growling at Haru. Thankfully, Nori broke the tension, “Never mind that... What did you mean ‘We’re in no danger’?”

“Yet.” Haru corrected. What was the boy hiding? How could have regained his composure so quickly? And then, more defensively, more like before, he added “I’ve felt danger many times, okay? This isn’t it. Yet.”

Shohei clasped his hand together nervously, “Y-You keep saying ‘Y-Yet’...” He didn’t want to admit that he might be in danger. If he did, his mind might start racing even faster than it already was. 

“Because it could shape up to be dangerous.” Haru clarified, but then his attention was diverted. At the head of the room stood a woman with long, golden blonde hair and a large red ribbon. A large ribbon? Hadn’t Amari mentioned that? “Hm?”

Grabbing Kouki’s arm, Haru began to walk toward the woman. Kouki then picked up on what Haru had, “You’re that girl! The one who was watching us!” She recalled Amari’s words. The bodyguard hadn’t known why the person had been watching them, only that she had. Was she dangerous?

“Hmhm?” The girl looked looked back at her with wide, pale blue eyes. When she spoke, her speech was exaggerated, dramatic even. “Ohhh, and you were the girl... who was sleeping, no?”

Caught off-guard by her response, Kouki frowned, “Huh? Just who are you?” She scanned the girl up and down. Her dress was covered by a sweater, but nothing about her told Kouki anything about who she might be. She wasn’t familiar in the slightest, nor was her talent evident by her attire.

“Kyahaha! I didn’t know you were that desperate, love.” The girl laughed like a witch and suddenly, Kouki didn’t feel nearly as comfortable. Desperate? What did she mean? Surely not the thought that jumped straight into the Artist’s mind. The girl didn’t give Kouki much time to think about though as she launched into her introduction, “Yukari Nagakage. Psychoanalyst, at your beck and call.”

Haru couldn’t help but recoil, “Beck and call?” What, did she think she was a maid? Because she clearly just said... Psychoanalyst. Suddenly, that sunk into Haru’s head. She was a psychoanalyst which meant... She was probably trying to lower his and Kouki’s guards, but for what?

Yukari looked at Haru for the first time and suddenly she tensed up, “Hn? Ah, you-- Never mind...” She stared for a moment longer before clearing her throat and speaking in a voice loud enough for the whole room to hear. “Hello? Hello. It’s so nice to meet all of you, yes? In this, damp... gross... smelly... add more adjectives of your choice... room! Isn’t that right, loves?”

People had turned to look at Yukari, now, but Kouki wasn’t paying them any mind. Instead she was focused on how quickly Yukari changed her voice from over exaggerated to deadpan in a mere moment. “I’m sure you all are wondering why we’re here, no? Simple, simple! Because someone really loves Hope’s Peak Students! And really wants to see them do something... Right? Am I right? Kyahaha!”

Haru had no idea what Yukari was blabbing about, but clearly she knew something and the fact that she was withholding information pissed him off. She finished her speech with a hand raised in the air as if summoning some sort of demon, “Ohhhh, bear! Where are you, love...!?”

That was it. Haru had had enough of the psychoanalyst’s delusional rambling. “You’re crazy! And you were the one stalking us!” He snarled at Yukari who merely looked back with an innocent and playful smile.

Amari stepped forward and when she did, Haru turned to look at the people who had gathered. Everyone had gathered to join Haru, Kouki, and Yukari. There were sixteen people in all. Sixteen, huh? Amari’s voice broke Haru’s thought process and he was snapped back to Yukari, “I can confirm that.”

Right, Yukari stalking him and Kouki. The blonde didn’t seem the least bit fazed by the accusations as she mumbled, “Crazy... Crazy, hm?” Then her gaze, which seemed considerably more icy than before, snapped back to Haru, “Oh, but I guarantee that the bear is somewhere! I guarantee it. Besides what’s a game without-”

“Upupupupu...”

“Quite right.” Yukari grinned. Her eyes had narrowed and and it seemed like her previous facade had been broken... Or it did seem like that. She went straight back to her cuter demeanor so quickly, Haru wondered if he had imagined it. No, that must have been what she wanted. Psychoanalysts dealt with the subconscious, so by manipulating Haru’s, Yukari was effectively fulfilling her role as psychoanalyst, right?

Kouki wasn’t paying attention to Yukari anymore, though. Unlike Haru, she was more concerned with the noise that had interrupted her. That strange laughter-like noise. It didn’t come from any of the students, that she knew. Then it rang out again and, covering her head, Kouki whimpered, “What is that noise?”

“Noise. Noise!” The voice rang out again, and this time, it was definitely clear that it was no one in the room. Probably. Kouki couldn’t help but sneak a peek back at Yukari, who looked like she was having the time of her life. But as the voice continued, the Abstract Artist didn’t see a single muscle of Yukari’s mouth move. It was just frozen in her cheerful smile. “How dare you call my, no, the, signature laugh ‘noise’!!”

Shigeru rose a single finger to make a point, “Noise, noise indeed. You cannot claim that it is not.” Then he moved to smooth out his hair.

Marise snorted, “Please don’t tell me you’re actually engaging this invisible loser! It’s probably the creepy blonde girl talking to herself.” She pointed to Yukari with a thin finger. It seemed long for her hands, but still, Kouki couldn’t help but notice how small her hand as a whole was.

“Hey now. I’m might be powerful...” Yukari’s voice was light, but carried an undertone of fake emotion to it. Haru wondered what she meant by powerful. Surely not her knowledge of the subconscious. Did that equal power? Her voice shifted again, becoming lower and more blatantly threatening, “But I’m no voice artist.”

Niseko jumped up onto Rikuto’s back to get on a higher level, “That’s going against your point!” She was, of course, referring to Yukari’s constant tone and voice shifts, but Yukari paid her no mind.

Keroko rubbed her hand against one of her round, green buns her hair was styled in and croaked, “Kero.” No one would understand her, but it was a plain insult to Yukari.

And to the herpetologist’s surprise, “You all are the real fools here right now. Come now, just listen to me.” How had she known what Keroko meant? That was impossible, right? Or perhaps, the subconscious dealer dealt with the subconscious. She knew what was in Keroko’s mind regardless of the words she uttered. “Bear, it was a clever trick hiding under the floorboards, but you can come out now. I found you.”

“She’s crazy!” Kouki finally admitted. But even her realisation would be short-lived.

“Aw, I guess the jig is up then. How did you know any- Ah, actually I’d rather not know.” The floorboard in front of Yukari spun as something black and white popped out. It was as she claimed. “Besides, my name is not ‘bear’.”

The bear thing walked around a bit, even looking straight into Keroko’s eyes, inciting a startled “K-Kero!!” from her. He was mostly monochrome, but he had one slitted red eye which pierced into whomever he locked eyes with.

Niseko clinging to his neck, Rikuto grunted, “Impossible. A walking teddy bear?” As he said that, Mei suddenly perked up with a simple “Hm?” and looked between Rikuto and the bear. 

Kanna sighed, folding his arms, “But then that means our ribbon lady may not be as crazy as she seems.” True to his word, Yukari looked rather pleased with herself, but Kanna’s gaze didn’t linger on her long and he turned back to the bear, “What is your name anyway, if you don’t mind my asking?”

“Of course I... don’t mind. It’s... Monokuma!!” The bear raised his arms, possibly for dramatic effect. Though it was lost in the sea of confused students.

“Monokuma...” Ami echoed, her voice soft and distant. She placed a hand on her bangs before directing her attention toward him again. It was worth a shot, right? “Can we not call you ‘bear’ for short?”

“Of course not!” Monokuma yelped, glaring at Ami and completely avoiding her attempt at a rushed hypnotism. What kind of a cute, loving mascot would he be if students could dispatch him so easily?

Shohei was lost in his own world. The name Monokuma... It was short for Monokuro and Kuma. Monochrome Bear. Yet... still. “Wh-Why does the name sound familiar... I-I-I can’t remember...” A simple word pun, but it felt so ominous...

The chatter slowly began to die down as students were left to their own thoughts. Of course, it was obvious that Monokuma would break it pretty soon- “What is a teddy bear? How does it differ from a bear?”

Mei had spoken, her body in a neutral position as she stared down Monokuma with eyes that could’ve made anyone regret any action. But it wasn’t only Monokuma who was unfazed as Marise snorted, “Excuse me?”

The ninja turned toward the small girl, wondering if she would be the one to answer her inquiry. Her attitude suggested otherwise, though. Did Marise require more... force? “Was I not clear in my question? What is a teddy bear?”

“How do you not know that!?” Marise shot back, clearly unaware to Mei’s lack of basic knowledge. Mei did not seem to like that response though as, once again, her wakizashi found itself pointed to another throat.

“Answer me.” Mei demanded, glaring at the ginger girl. 

“Gah! Put your stupid sword away, loser.” Marise turned instinctively, her hand pressed on her left ribs as if Mei had already stabbed her. She looked like a hurt doe now, completely different from her earlier demeanor, “It’s not like I know either. Ask someone else, I’m just a little girl after all!”

Kouki frowned, pointing at Marise, “Hey, you played the opposite card earlier!” True, as anyone who was there would’ve remembered Marise boasting about being in high school. Now, she was trying to pass as, what, an elementary schooler? So much for Super High School Level.

Marise’s face then formed a perfectly stereotypical puffed cheek face, “Tch. Loser.” She turned and walked away from Mei, leaving the swordswoman no choice but to sheathe her blade. 

Yudai sighed, “ I feel as though we are swimming in place. You have yet to tell us where we are, bear.” Murmurs of agreement erupted throughout the room.

“I told you my name is Monokuma! Not ‘Bear’!” Monokuma screeched, his facing glowing red with anger. Then, from out of his plush paw, three sharp claws extended. It looked like he was about to strike someone on the face, but instead, he just started to nonchalantly inspect his claws. “And before Miss Meiyo blows herself up, a teddy bear is a fluffy, loving, tiny bear made of soft materials that helps you sleep at night! I can’t believe you all were too rude to explain that... Upupupupu...”

His laugh was chilling despite being so strange and some of the students felt a chill run down their spine. Mei however, bowed toward the bear, “I give you my thanks.” 

“No need to look so down while you do!” Monokuma turned back to Yudai, “Anyway, “stag beetle”, you are in a wondrous place, the Subterranean Rescue Shelter, or the ‘SRS’. But, the name doesn’t matter, nor really the location, because you’re not getting out anytime soon.”

Marise gritted her teeth. There were so many things wrong with that. Subterranean? Like, underground subterranean? And then... That last part. “What’s that supposed to mean!?”

Monokuma shrugged, unperturbed by Marise’s forceful speaking. “It’s simple, really. You’re not getting out! Duh-doy!”

Kanna knew he couldn’t show his discomfort in front of the other students. That would be a disgrace to his talent. But, he could question the bear, right? “But then-”

“You already had your turn, Mr. Perfect. Let the others ask questions too.” Monokuma growled, barely letting any sound pass Kanna’s lips. 

Kanna frowned, “Oh, of course...” His mind was on a different path, though. Monokuma had known Kanna’s talent as well as Mei’s surname. Just what was the bear’s role in all of this? Surely the stuffed teddy bear couldn’t be their kidnapper alone. He had to be controlled by someone. But... who? Someone in this room or someone else...? No, he couldn’t let suspicion cloud his judgement.

Keroko raised a gloved arm and attempted her best at speaking, “Kero? Kero kero, kero?” After she spoke, though, she lowered her head, realising that no one could understand her still. 

And to Keroko’s surprise, she was proven wrong for the second time, “I mean, that counts as your question, frog girl, but yes, I can understand you.” Monokuma didn’t linger on Keroko’s question, instead, scouting the room for others.

“K-Kero!” Keroko responded in surprise, but the others just shrugged in response, not really getting what the herpetologist was driving at. Perhaps she felt lonely? Either way, the bear captor didn’t seem like the best bet.

Niseko had climbed onto Rikuto’s head now, though the welder didn’t seem to mind very much, and she called out her question, “If we’re not getting out, is there basic necessities? Food, water, hygiene...” People mumbled their appreciation for someone asking that question, even if it did suggest what they all didn’t want to believe.

“Glad you asked. You’ll be fine! For an example, we have enough food stored down here for 300 years for 10,000 people! It’s great!” Monokuma grinned and as if out of nowhere, pulled a tray of sushi from behind him. Rikuto narrowed his eyes at the thought of a perishable food being in an underground shelter for 300 years. Through big mouthfuls, Monokuma muttered, “Want some? Too bad, get your own.”

Choosing to ignore his last statement, the doll breathed a sigh of relief or, at least, what one could perceive as that. The doll couldn’t actually breathe, so it was more of a sound than a breath. “Phew, that’s a lot of food!”

Most people had just taken the answer as if it were normal and that annoyed Rikuto ever so slightly. Did they have no desire of their own? Did they follow as blindly as an army of ants? He turned to look at the bear and asked a question of his own, “But how do we get out?”

“Ah, I’d like to keep the suspense on that one a bit longer, you know?” 

In probably the biggest act of hypocrisy, Rikuto nodded, “I see.” and left it at that. 

“You see? No, no. You must be more forward than that.” Shigeru also picked up on Rikuto’s backwards thinking and apparently had regained his fire, fiercely pointing at Monokuma, “How do we get out?”

“Ugh, you persistent little pests.” Monokuma growled. He did not seem happy to oblige as he placed his now empty tray underneath him and sat down defiantly. 

Kouki had also regained her senses, “Just tell us, weird bear thing!” She wasn’t about to take no answer as an answer.

One by one, the other students joined in, pressuring Monokuma until the only one not actively doing anything was Yukari, who simply stood behind him, watching everything unfold. Perhaps if someone were to notice her, they might start to suspect the psychoanalyst even more. But for now, she waited, wondering if someone would soon make a fool of themselves. All the more fun.

“Fine! Fine, fine, fine! The only way to get out is- Ah!” Monokuma conceded but suddenly cut his own speech off to point a sharp claw behind him at Yukari. “Don’t steal my thunder, ‘Ribbon Girl’. You have your own.”

Students exchanged glances, but Yukari simply stood with a soft smile. Monokuma then continued, “Anyway, the only way to get out is... Killing someone! Stab, pelt, bludgeon, electrocute, smash, burn, poison, explode, stab again, smash again... and again! fry, slam, impale, hang, slice, drug, drop, run over, poison and impale, smash yet again... There’s so many methods.”

Haru grimaced, “Some of those were really specific.” Specifically the four different smashings. What was that about?

“Well, I’ve seen them all before.” Monokuma shrugged.

There was a beat of silence, before what Monokuma said finally sunk in. “Hang on, you’re serious?” Haru exclaimed.

“Of course!” With that statement, conversations broke out between the high schoolers, each one providing their own unique explanation for what this could possibly mean - or be. 

“Ahahahahahahahahahaha!!” The entire room was silenced by maniacal laughing. Instinctively, Kouki turned to look at Yukari, but the blonde was just quietly watching everything unfold with the same small smile. It wasn’t her that laughed, instead it was... Marise? “Ahaha... Ha... C’mon, this is a ruse. Like a prank show.”

And with that, she made her move. Yukari walked past Monokuma into the small crowd and, as no one wanted to be near her, everyone backed up until a shoddy circle had been formed around her. “Kagome, kagome, eh?” The psychoanalyst smirked, then in a bright, bubbly voice, she responded to Marise, “Nope. It’s genuine. The bear, Monokuma, wants us to kill each other.”

No one dared to speak and Yukari swiveled around to face Monokuma and she glared, her voice suddenly low, “How pathetic. You should try just killing us outright.”

The bear returned her gaze, “But what fun is that?”

“It’s not, you’re right.” Yukari flipped back to her bubbly persona and then closed her eyes and started to spin. “Eenie meenie miney... moe!”

Yukari stopped and extended an arm, pointing at Shigeru. The cosmetologist raised his arms, “Woah, woah, lass. What’s up?” His smile became increasingly more nervous as Yukari took long strides to meet him face to face.

She narrowed her icy eyes and grinned maliciously, “I’m going to start, naturally.” With a sleight of hand that even a professional magician would be jealous of, Yukari flicked something into her hand.

Once it became clear to Shigeru what it was and what Yukari meant, he froze, feeling nothing but his heartbeat. As still as a statue, he spoke, his voice quiet, “Where’d you get the knife from?”

Yukari raised the knife so that it was perpendicular with Shigeru’s neck and the tension in the air dramatically increased. One move and Shigeru would be no more. With a sound as sickly sweet as nightshade, Yukari answered him, “Doesn’t matter. Now, now, stay still.”

“No!” Shigeru suddenly yelped and attempted to jump backward, but he didn’t get far before Yukari grabbed his collar. She grinned at him some more, relishing in the shared mood of the room.

Then she exhaled her breath into a sigh, “Ah, okay. I’ll quit the act. I’m not killing anyone. That’d be foolish, especially- ESPECIALLY since we don’t know the rules, right?” She turned her head slightly to eye Monokuma.

“There’s rules to this?” Kouki gasped. The girl had been trembling with fright the entire time Yukari had been near Shigeru and now, hearing this, she was nearly at her limit. 

“Of course... What a twisted sense of mind.” Ami added, though it wasn’t clear if she was referring to Monokuma or Yukari or, perhaps, both. Everyone turned to look at Monokuma for the answer.

“Yes! I’ll supply you with the-” A flash of silver darted across the room and as it connected with Monokuma, a flash of light filled the room with a sound quite deafening. When the small cloud of smoke had cleared, the bear was gone, a gunpowder stain marking where he once stood. Fifteen pairs of eyes trailed to where the object had come from and landed on Yukari. 

The blonde was no longer holding her knife and she smirked, “Oops.” It was clear what she had done and the action had been so simple that it was hard to believe it even happened. Did Monokuma disappear just like that?

“Is the nightmare over?” Niseko said in a small voice, finally scaling down Rikuto to stand on her own two legs.

It was Yudai who gave voice to the uneasy feeling that everyone shared, “Like a coming storm, I sense this is just the eye...”

“Yukari, you said?” Rikuto grunted, peering at the girl from behind his mask. In fact, he could see her just fine. It was probably as well that he had the mask on, because if he took it off now, he would likely go blind from the light. Possibly. “Whose agenda are you running? First you threaten Shigeru, then you kill the bear.”

“He’s not dead unfortunately. I just wanted to get that out of my system before it became a rule.” Yukari muttered, inspecting her nails. She didn’t seem the least bit bothered and it cast suspicion on her, but she did just attack Monokuma, who seemed to be their captor. Was this a staged act, to make their assumptions change?

The floorboards next to Yukari flipped as something jumped out again, but Yukari didn’t even flinch and when the black and white blur landed, it was clear that it was Monokuma. “Thanks, ribbon bitch. That wasn’t fun.”

Quietly, Yukari murmured in response, her outward emotions having completely changed once again. This time she seemed more thoughtful and her voice was little more than a whisper, her thoughts made aloud, “No, I don’t imagine it was.”

Amari folded her arms, fixing her eyes on the bear. Of course, she didn’t understand what had just happened, but the facts she saw were the facts, “It seems the bear has returned.”

Keroko lowered herself to the ground, trembling in fear, “K-Kero...” She had been in high hopes that the bear would not return, but she had also known deep in her mind that it wouldn’t be so easy to escape.

If you were to be kidnapped, what would your first reaction be? Each student seemed to have a different one, with some being terrified like Keroko, some being angry like Yamato, and others still being mildly curious like Amari. But when it came down to it, the only one not affected by a negative emotion was Yukari. Instead, she seemed to be having the time of her life. Her earlier reverie had broken and she was once again grinning.

Monokuma growled at Yukari, not approving of her attitude toward the whole thing. Instead of being filled with despair, she laughed in his face? “Now I get to punish you. You’ll make a fine example of what happens when you defy me! Spears of-”

“Ah. Ah. Ah.” Yukari waved a finger in front of Monokuma, cutting him off. “There’s no rules yet! You can’t do a thing. Besides, this old thing?” Again with a strange sleight of hand, she held a long spear. When he glimpsed it, Monokuma jumped up and looked around, “Why reuse such an old prop?”

“H-Hey! Stop that!” Monokuma huffed and then, in a different motion, he pulled out some very thin electronic devices and began to shove one in each of the student’s hands. “Now no more rule breaking because all of them can be read there!”

Haru turned it over in his hands, unsure of what to make of it. With a quick tap on the device, it lit up and for a brief moment, the words ‘HARU TANIOTO, CELLIST’ flashed on the screen before a rather pretty GUI replaced the words. Looking back up at Monokuma, he asked, “What is this?”

“Rikuto Honda, yes. Welder, yes.” Rikuto said aloud, confirming that his device held the correct information. While to others, it seemed odd that the normally silent Welder would choose that moment to speak, Rikuto had his reasons.

“This is your Monopad. It’s very important, don’t lose or break it or you’re outta luck. In fact, I think there’s a rule in there about it which means if you do... Upupupu... I getta do something to you if some misfortune DOES befall your Monopad.” Monokuma’s laugh was sinister and his words hung in the air like a weight. It wasn’t quite clear what he meant, but the delivery was threatening enough to get the point across.

“So then... Rules, rules, I see. It’s one of the options.” Shigeru spoke, trying to convey some sort of confidence through his voice, but even the cosmetologist was struggling to keep a positive attitude.

What wasn’t expected, however, was that the breeze of fresh air would come from Mei as she waved the Monopad around like she was a newsboy handing out the daily paper. “I don’t understand. Why won’t this do anything?” Frowning she looked around before striding toward Ami. “Fix it. It’s broken.”

“Broken?” Ami repeated, unfazed by Mei’s closeness, “I don’t believe so... What have you done?” Ami extended an arm to grab the Monopad. “Yours is different from mine...”

“Different? Different, how?” Mei practically snarled. “Answer, please.”

“I don’t know yet, now do I? I have to find out first.” Ami tapped the front of Mei’s Monopad and it lit up. “How’s that, better?”

“How did you do that?” Mei said, scratching her head, “I couldn’t get it to do anything.”

“PCAP. Projective capacitive touch screen. It registers the electrical currents in your body to sense when it is being touched. You didn’t tap the screen, did you?” Ami said, “But then... I wonder... Yudai. Did yours have any trouble turning on?”

“No, it did not.” Yudai responded, “If you are referring to my gloves, I don’t quite understand either. This whole thing is a sea of mystery, is it not?”

“Electrical currents?” Mei murmured. “Hm, I will speak with you later. I believe we have a matter to attend to.”

“Yes, yes. The rules, as I was saying.” Shigeru said, pointing at the option on his Monopad. Even he was getting a bit impatient, perhaps because of the threats standing in the room in the form of both Monokuma and Yukari.

Yamato’s booming voice cut through the low buzz, “Of course! We shall read them all together!” He had a large smile plastered on his face, but with the current situation, it wasn’t hard to tell that it was fake, an attempt to conceal his true emotions.

Kanna had the initiative to take charge as he scoured his Monopad, “Number one, hmm... ‘Without express permission, students may not leave the SRS while Monokuma is still active.’” He took a moment to let it sink in before turning his head slightly to look at Monokuma, “I see. So that means we don’t just have to find an exit, but a way to deactivate you.”

“Rule two, ‘Nighttime is from 10PM to 7AM. You may not go to the Meeting Room during this time.’” Haru looked up from his Monopad to add, “Where’s that?”

“I’m sure we’ll find out soon enough.” Shigeru answered. When there was a bit of silence, he looked down at his own Monopad, “Ah, number three, number three... ‘Sleeping in a place other than the dorms is prohibited.’ So this seems to be a long term thing.”

As Shigeru’s comment hung in the air, no one spoke. No one wanted to believe it and, certainly, no one wanted to reveal anymore bombshells by reading the rest. That is, until Rikuto spoke, “Four. ‘You are free to explore the SRS with little restrictions.’” With that, uncomfortable shuffling gave away the fact that people were looking at the regulations once again.

“My turn! Rule number five, ‘Violence against Monokuma is forbidden.’” Nori spoke with such enthusiasm that it seemed strange that he hadn’t spoken earlier. The green haired boy then frowned and shook his head, “It should actually be, ‘Nori is the best, vote for Sasaki.’”

“Be silent.” Amari sighed, then proceeded with the next rule, “Six, ‘Someone who kills a fellow student will become the Blackened and graduate unless caught.’ I don’t understand this...”

Kill. There was that word again. The one that made people uneasy. Kouki glanced at Yukari, then Amari, “Me neither, but Seven doesn’t make much sense either. ‘Once there is a Blackened, a class trial will take place. Attendance is mandatory.’”

“Mandatory?” Yamato gritted his teeth, but almost immediately rebounded with booming laughter. “Hahaha! Well then, number eight! ‘If the Blackened is exposed, they will be executed!’ Wait, executed?” His eyes grew wide under his spectacles and he pursed his lips, taking in what he had just read.

Shohei, just as offput, took a deep breath. “F-Following that... nine says ‘If the Blackened is not exposed, the remaining students will be executed in their place and the Blackened will be free to leave.’” No one could guess what execution meant exactly, but there was a general unspoken consensus. It wasn’t good.

“This is worrying... However, rule ten, ‘One Blackened may kill as many students as they’d like.’” Yudai let out a disappointed breath before lowering his device, frowning, “Whoever in any sea would wish to kill even one person?”

Of course, most glances went toward Yukari, who simply shrugged. Ami rubbed a finger on her Monopad screen, as if wiping something off and then read, “‘The Body Discovery Announcement will play as soon as three or more people discover a body for the first time.’ That doesn’t sound good... What exactly is it?”

“No fucking idea. Twelve, ‘The Killing Game will continue until two students remain.’” Marise had shot down Ami’s question and then followed up with her own, placing a curled up fist at her waist, “Jeez, what loser would go that far?”

“Uh oh...” A high pitched squeak came from the ground as Niseko saw that word again, “Thirteen, ‘In the event that only one person remains, they will be executed.’”

Seeing that the person who she related to the most had spoken, Keroko decided to try her hand, “Kero, kerokero. ‘Kero kekeroko... Kerokero.’” Of course, her croaking was met by confused stares.

“Lemme translate that. ‘Monokuma will never directly commit a murder.’” Monokuma grinned and, had the rule itself not been on the screen of each Monopad, most would’ve been inclined to not believe him. But there it was. Of course, most still didn’t believe it. Should someone turn up... dead... Monokuma would be the first suspect.

“‘Your Monopads are important, don’t lose or damage them.’” Mei said, rather hastily. Then she looked up, around the room and narrowed her red eyes, “Erm, excuse me... That’s number fifteen.”

“Kyahahaha!” But even more jarring than Mei’s sudden reading was Yukari’s unprompted cackling as she grinned, “And finally sixteen! ‘Additional rules may be added at anytime by an authority!’”

“Now, I know you guys have read and, even, heard all of the rules and regulations out loud, so no more bending or breaking of because I will punish you if you do. Including you, Miss Nagakage.” Monokuma said, taking time to look at each student. 

Marise shot toward Monokuma, stopping just shy of his snout. Apparently, she seemed unfazed by the possibility of death hovering over her as she stared the two-toned bear in the eyes, “These rules make no sense!” Her words were to the point, but filled with malice.

Yet, despite everything the novelist brought forth, Monokuma simply turned away from her green gaze. “Of course they do. Kill somebody and you go to a trial. If you survive the trial, you leave. Simple! If not, you die.” 

Ami shook her head, her heavy bangs shifting oddly around her nose as she did. “This is troubling. If someone were to go through with this...” Then she looked up as if she were suddenly realising what her own implication was, “We could wind up in a terrible situation.”

“Don’t worry so much! They will!” Monokuma put on his cheerful, but frightening smile. “Ooh, but, I really need to get going. There’s preparations to be made, y’know!”

“Preparations-”

“Toodle-oo!” With complete disregard for Mei, Monokuma leapt straight up and his weight carried him down, flipping a floorboard in the process. After a few moments, it seemed clear that he wasn’t coming back and the uneasy atmosphere only darkened.

“Right, let’s take this a step at a time. First off, let’s go through and state our names and talents really quick... If you would also, just for the sake of protection, list any weapons we may be carrying, that would help. Of course, we don’t need to take them unless anyone is behaving irrationally, but just so that we are aware.” Kanna glanced around and his gaze landed on Mei for a bit before he continued, “Is that alright with everyone?”

“Right-o. Speak now or forever hold your peace.” Shigeru smiled and, when no one else spoke up, he resumed speaking. “Yes, yes. I think you are good, Kanna.”

“You want me to start? Alrighty, then.” He paused and then bowed. “I am Kanna Kanichi, Super High School Level Perfection. My talent is being perfect, myself, to help others achieve perfection as well and I do not currently have any weapons on me.”

“Is that even possible?” Rikuto met Kanna’s introduction. He was still struggling to grasp the concept of something that could be ‘perfect’. After all, humanity was a flawed, imperfect species. Perhaps that, itself, was how Kanna could hold the title.

“Perfection is relative, like distance and time.” Yudai responded, but he said no more.

“Right, then I’ll go. I’m Haru Tanioto, the Super High School Level Cellist. As you can see, I have my cello and that’s it. Harmless, really...” Haru blinked, “Unless you think I can hypnotise you through a song. But that’s Ami’s forte, not mine.” The hypnotist grunted a bit at that, though she said nothing.

“So, I’ve realised something. Kanna went first, Haru went second... If you recall, reading the rules went much the same way. I propose we follow that order, which means I’ll be next.” Shigeru smiled, flashing his perfectly white teeth. It was hard not to notice his top right canine which stood out like a sore thumb, sharp compared to the rest of his teeth. Even with his mouth closed, it rested atop his bottom lip. “I am Shigeru Fujioka. I am the Super High School Level Cosmetologist, or, in other words, make-up artist. Uh, right, right. I don't have any weapons on me, per se, just a make-up set. A rather grandiose one, at that.”

“The order in which we read the rules?” Nori tapped his chin, “So then... Next would be-”

“Me.” Rikuto interrupted Nori. “Get it over with. Rikuto Honda, Ultimate Welder. I have, on my person, a welding torch which can be dangerous in many ways, though I do not intend to use it unless absolutely necessary.”

“I am not familiar with welding. How is it dangerous? Does it burn you?” Mei shot out her questions as before, though this time she didn’t make any threatening gestures along with it.

“It can burn you, yes. Also, however, welding is the craft of conjoining two pieces of metal and the flames from the torch are incredibly bright. If you do not wear a mask, like mine, it can permanently damage your eyesight.” Rikuto explained, “That is all. Go, Sasaki Nori Sir.”

“Classy, Dari! I like it. I’m Nori Sasaki, the Super High School Level Politician. You don’t get better than that!” Nori beamed and then lifted a campaigning poster from the ground, “No weapons except for my dashingly handsome looks!”

“How... formally you address people, Rikuto. I am Amari Hoshino, Amari will suffice.” Completely disregarding Nori, Amari glanced back at Rikuto, her eyes narrowed as if she knew the welder would not follow that bit of advice. “I am the Super High School Level Bodyguard which is as the title says. I am sure even you know what a bodyguard is, don’t you?”

Having been spoken to, Mei dipped her head, “Yes, I am familiar. I have killed quite a few bodyguards as part of my job.” Silence followed the black-haired girl’s statement. Did she truly just say that out loud?

“I believe we need to have a talk.” Amari responded, then she resumed her introduction, “I would’ve liked to keep this under wraps, but if it benefits the group, I will oblige. Surprising as it may be, I do not have any weapons on me.”

“I guess we have no choice but to trust that. You did mention earlier that they had gone missing, so I wonder if they’re somewhere in this building.” Kouki looked around nervously before realising- “Oh! It’s my turn. I’m so sorry! I’m Kouki Maekawa, the Super High School Level Abstract Artist. No weapons here!”

“Right, I read rule eight, so I suppose it’s time for me to shine! Hahaha!” The energy Yamato was putting out increased significantly through that sentence and with a deep breath, he continued, “Yamato Yukimura! I am the Ultimate... Ringmaster! I have many experiences with several different circus troupes and all of them have seen success at some point. Namely, while I was there! Before you ask, no, I am not taking questions and, no, I do not have a weapon.”

“That last bit almost sounded... Hmm...” Shigeru began to speak, but perhaps thought better of it as he looked back at the Ringmaster. “Alright, alright. Shohei, I believe it’s your turn.”

“R-R-Right... I’m Sh-Shohei Takan-nichi... I’m a B-B-Barista... Y-Yeah, um... Nnnn... No weapons.” Shohei kept it as concise as he could, but he still got many stares.

Marise in particular was rather irked by his introduction as she folded her arms, “Are you brain-dead? Why do you stutter so much?”

“I-I-I... Uh, well...” Shohei gulped. Looking closely, one could see that he was shaking, tremors went up and down his body and they only worsened as he was called out for his stutter.

“Let’s move on from that ripple, shall we? I suppose I’ll go now... Yes, I am Yudai Shimizu, the Super High School Level Mask Maker... I make masks, perhaps both literally and figuratively. There are no weapons on my person... Unless you count the horn on my mask.” The Mask Maker removed a mask strapped to his waist which had a long, golden horn protruding from the forehead, presented it for a bit, and then replaced it.

“I-It does look s-sorta dangerous...” Shohei muttered, his eyes glued to the mask. He stared for quite a bit, unsure of what to make of it. Images of blood exploded in his mind and he reeled a bit before a tap on his shoulder made him jump, his heart skipping a beat.

The barista turned to see Ami who was slowly exhaling. “I am Ami Yumekuu. I do not have any weapons. However, as Haru pointed out, I am, indeed, a hypnotist. Please do not act as if this puts some sort of wall between us, though. I mean no more harm than, say, Amari.”

The bodyguard cracked a bit of a smile in a friendly gesture before going back to the stoic face that so many of the students shared.

A moment passed... Then two... Before Marise realised that she was being stared at, “Ugh, right. I’m after the edge wannabe girl.” She glared at Ami, who made no reaction, “Marise Kita, Ultimate Mystery Novelist. Obviously I have no weapons. Besides, I couldn’t use them if I tried. I’m too small.”

It was very evident that no one in the room believed her. In fact, Niseko raised a tiny hand, “No, no! I’m the one who’s too small. I don’t think I could hold even a kitchen knife properly.” The doll examined her hands, wiggling a stubby finger, “My name is Niseko, by the way! But I’ve never met any of you before today. You may have met my master... Setsuka? The Ultimate Doll Maker. And, um, maybe I could wrap my arms around the knife? But that would be... Well... Inefficient? ”

“Inefficient indeed.” Yudai echoed. Being familiar with crafting things, albeit not moving dolls, Yudai couldn’t imagine such a thing being dextrous enough to utilise a weapon properly. Therefore, the doll, Niseko, would certainly not find any advantage in this situation.

“Kero.” The frog girl hopped over next to Niseko, her tongue lolling out a bit. Niseko stared back at her. “Kero..?”

“Um...” Confused, Niseko brought a hand to her chin, but before she could get much more out, Keroko’s tongue lashed out, almost too quick to catch and Niseko found herself trapped in the sticky amphibian tongue. “Eek!”

As soon as Niseko started wiggling frantically, Keroko receded, looking sheepish. She looked at the others, her head low. It was pretty obvious what the demonstration meant. The most dangerous thing Keroko had was her own tongue.

Well, it was pretty obvious to most people. Unaware that the herpetologist had taken her turn, Mei said nothing, allowing the choking silence and tension to creep back in. Marise grit her teeth, “The one who obviously has the capability of killing us is being silent. Let’s lynch her!”

“...What?” Mei responded, tilting her head. “I see... You wish for me to lay bare the swords.”

“Well, I’m sure that we can all see those...” Yamato winced a bit, “Any... other weapons on you besides the katana and wakizashi?”

“No. I do not carry any other weapons. However...” Mei placed a hand to her chest and frowned. Biting her lip, she made her way over to Haru and pointed at his case. “What is this. You called it a... a cello.”

“It’s... a cello. An instrument.” Haru answered, slowly. He frowned, just as clueless as Ami was. 

“This is also an instrument.” Mei pointed at her wakizashi, blinking. “What does it do?”

“It- I... That’s not... It makes music.” Haru took a step back, unsure of what to make of Mei’s questioning. “Sounds? It produces sound. I can show you later.”

Satisfied, Mei nodded, “Yes. Please do.”

“Alright, alright, bow girl. You had a knife earlier, threw it at the bear... Then you pulled a spear from out of nowhere.” Shigeru raised a finger, “Anything else we should know about?”

“Oh... Well... See, I’m in a bit of a predicament.” Yukari pouted, “There’s just too much, you see!”

“Too much?” Amari folded her arms.

“Why yes! Too much. But at the same time, nothing.” She narrowed her icy eyes, her voice going deadpan, “We can go with the latter if you don’t feel like wasting everyone’s time.”

“I think knowing about weapons is important, even if it takes us all day!” Kouki responded.

“All day? Oh, you misunderestimate me, love. It would take all of eternity.” Yukari smiled. Then her smile grew into a mischievous grin, “But by all means. What do you count as a weapon? For instance...”

Yukari swiped her hand and for a moment, it seemed like reality stopped working as she was suddenly holding a baseball bat, “This is not typically a weapon, but I could kill someone with it.”

“What the-” Yamato growled, “How are you doing that?”

“You tell me, ringmaster” Yukari snorted, tossing the bat aside. Stranger still, when the tip touched the ground, the entire bat shattered like glass, shards falling to the ground. “My point is, I could do this all day, but no one wants that. So we’ll just have to go on the honor system. I promise not to hurt anyone.”

“No one believes you.” Marise spat, “But if that first bit’s the truth, then I’m out. I’d be more excited coming up with another tired boring mystery to write than to watch you play with toys and explain how they’re dangerous.”

“But... I wanna know how you did that!” Nori interjected, pointing at the shards of baseball bat. “That’s not an everyday thing!”

“Just like every politician, I, too, have my secrets. Now, wouldn’t it be more useful to explore this shelter and look for a way out?” Yukari blinked, “Doesn’t that make more sense?”

“Surely, that does seem like the best course of action... But I’ll be watching you, Yukari. I’ll be watching you like a hawk.” Kanna locked his eyes with Yukari’s.

“If you really find it necessary.” The psychoanalyst shrugged.

“We really should begin to sail on. The breeze of curiosity wont blow forward our ship of determination forever.” Yudai turned away, scanning the room. There were two doors out. “Shall we split up or remain together?”

“I-I... I’m a little uncomfortable around... Well, Yukari.” Niseko’s smile seemed nervous, but surely, it was just Yudai’s imagination. He was around fake faces very often and very rarely did they change. Examining the doll in more detail crossed his mind, but it would have to wait.

“We can split up into groups of two.” Kouki said, raising her finger. “We’d get done quicker and people can... choose who they’d prefer to avoid.”

“More like, choose who’s comfortable around Yukari. Actually, I imagine that’s no one.” Haru frowned, glancing toward Yukari. Strangely enough, she was watching him back with a curious gaze.

“I’ll go, of course. I did just say I’d be watching her,” Kanna shrugged, placing his arms on his hips.

“I wanna see what else she can do. I mean, you saw that baseball bat, right? That was crazy!” Nori shook his head before awkwardly looking around and then moving next to Kanna, “You don’t mind, do you, Chika?”

“Chika is a fairly feminine name, isn’t it, Nori?” Amari tilted her head.

“Yeah, I guess. But I think it’s good to treat people on a personal level and nicknames are a perfect way for that. You... Noa. Yeah.” Nori grinned. “Just ‘cause I’m a politician doesn’t mean I need to be all rough and callous like one.”

“How predictable. I imagine I’m Tama?” Marise smirked, “What kinda name is Tama?”

“Yes! Tama.” Nori nodded a satisfied nod. “You could call me Kino if you wanted.”

“Hard pass. And I don’t like you either, so I’ll be in the other group.” Marise folded her arms, shutting her eyes as if in defiance.

“I imagine it will just be easier to move to where you want to go instead of this pointless ‘going-through-everyone-one-by-one’ dance, yes?” Yukari’s voice was a bit distant, but it returned to its clear tone as she blinked and turned around, “Who is brave and/or curious and who would rather keep their distance..? How fascinating this will be, hehe...”

After quite a bit of shuffling around, the crowd eventually split into two clear cut groups. One one side, Yukari, Kanna, Nori, Amari, Mei, Ami, Yudai, and Yamato. On the other, Haru, Kouki, Niseko, Marise, Rikuto, Shigeru, Keroko, and Shohei. Yukari grinned at the ginger boy, “Alright then, Haru. Door 1, to the west, or Door 2, to the east? Do us a favor and pick.”

“2. Simple enough.” Haru met her gaze. For a moment, it seemed like time stopped as Haru locked eyes with the icy gaze. For a moment he saw something, some emotion that betrayed something further hidden. A deep, buried feeling. Haru had seen that emotion before, but he couldn’t place it. Where had he seen it and why Yukari? The moment broke as Marise spoke, her harsh tongue like a whip.

“We should go then, Haru, who was apparently appointed team leader by the bow bitch.” Marise glared and began to walk off. Hesitantly, Haru followed. “And yet, look at this! People are following me. Look, it’s not like I want to be the leader, but I wouldn’t let Haru do it.”

“Why not? Do you... not trust me to be in charge?” Haru frowned, catching up to Marise.

She looked up at him and paused her stride. “Well, let’s see. From what I know about you, you’re a distraction. Clearly your playing is good, else you wouldn’t be the Ultimate Cellist but, guess what, music boy? I don’t like classical. And besides, a cellist like you? Doomed to be accompaniment for eternity. Followers can’t be leaders.”

Unable to come up with a retort to that, Haru lowered his head in defeat. Kouki, who had caught up, frowned at Marise, “Why does there need to be a leader anyway? We’re exploring as a team. I can tell you don’t do well on teams, but still. You’re an author, you can pretend.”

“Tch. I don’t write about goody-goody slices of life.” Marise snorted, but as she opened her mouth to say more, Rikuto’s large shape passed her, pushing open the door, Shigeru closely following behind.

“Yeah, you write about murder mysteries, so one could say you’re in your element.” Haru glared as he followed after Shigeru. Marise watched as he disappeared, anger burning in her green eyes. One by one, the others entered the room until Marise was left with no choice. She felt a tug at her leg and looked down to see Keroko. With a heavy sigh, the novelist entered the next room.

“My, my. Certainly, the thought that the bear was lying crossed my mind, but this does seem to be a cafeteria of sorts.” Shigeru brought a finger to his chin as he entered.

The room held four different tables, each with four seats. Perfectly sixteen, Shigeru noted. There didn’t seem to be any sort of assignment within the seats which was probably for the better. Had it been so, would anyone have followed that rule? Well, it’s quite impossible to judge what cannot be, I think you would find should you ever try. Thus Shigeru put his mind away from the logical impossibility fallacy.

“I-Is there’s a k-kitchen, I wonder... I-If so...” Shohei curiously stepped forward, his voice warbling as it trailed off.

“Kero!” The frog girl hopped in front of the barista, pointing a finger at the other end of the room, where a door lay ajar. Tugging on Shohei’s pant leg, much as she had done with Marise’s leg, she pulled. Shohei, however, felt very little tug and as a low croak began to emit from Keroko’s throat, Shohei saw beads of sweat form on her brow. 

“A-Ah. It’s okay, I-I see it. L-Let’s go.” Worried for the herpetologist, Shohei began to walk off toward the door, Keroko hopping behind him and panting.

“O-Oh! Hey, I wanna come, too!” Niseko called out, chasing after the other two with precision quite unlike a doll. Over and over Niseko had proved to be almost more human than doll and that idea worried Haru.

The cellist frowned as Niseko’s form disappeared through the door until he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned, expecting Kouki, but instead he met Shigeru’s gaze. “Now, now... Are you worried about the doll? I was speaking with Yudai and he told me that maybe it might be unnecessary to worry about her for now.”

“For now?” Haru frowned, glancing back toward the door, “What does that mean?”

Shigeru brought a finger to his chin, his expression one of careful thought, “Well, he told me that the real one to watch out for is Setsuka, but she doesn’t seem to be here. It crossed my mind that maybe Setsuka is hiding or even the one behind all of this, but if you watch that doll carefully... Well, doesn’t it seem like she’s the slightest bit distressed?”

Haru thought back, but then shook his head. “No, I don’t... Maybe you can explain what you mean. After all, learning about Setsuka could be very beneficial.”

“Yes, yes. I thought the same, which is precisely why I spoke to Yudai. They were in the same class. Unfortunately, Yudai seems to know very little about Setsuka which is, perhaps, a fair trade. After all, I doubt anyone knows much about Yudai.” Shigeru began to walk, “Come, come. Let’s at least pretend like we’re investigating. Some people... Hint hint... might get a little angry if we don’t.”

Shigeru’s eyes swept the room until they landed on Marise. She seemed preoccupied with staring at a table. Occasionally knocking on it, checking under the tablecloth... “Well, anyway, what Yudai has noticed is that Niseko, the doll, seems to be a complete act and, well, what have I noticed? Every so often, she gets these little twitches in her hand, oftentimes right before she speaks. If Niseko is controlled by Setsuka like she claims, I have a strong feeling that Setsuka does not enjoy playing the role of Niseko.”

“And if what we’re told about Setsuka is true, that makes a lot of sense. Creepy, a recluse... The kind of personality that entails seems to be the complete opposite of Niseko. But at the same time, she’s right. I can’t see her being able to pose a threat due to her size and the dexterity of her joints.” Haru added, once again glancing toward the door. “But, I guess we can’t forget that Setsuka is the Ultimate Doll Maker. If anyone can make a murderous doll, it’s her.”

“That is the truth, like it or not. We don’t know what she’s capable of. To be completely honest... We should survey everyone’s talents, whether they seem dangerous or not.” Shigeru furrowed his brow, “You never know... Ah! Riku!”

“What is it?” The welder, who had been inspecting a sheet of metal affixed to the wall turned his head. Other than that, he was completely still. Under his suit, Haru couldn’t pinpoint his breathing and, of course, there were no visible eyes to see blink.

“Mhm mhm. Tell me, what do you make of Yudai?” Haru blinked in surprise as Shigeru said it. He expected Shigeru to ask about Setsuka, not Yudai.

“Nothing.” Rikuto turned his full body toward the two others. Instead of responding, Shigeru simply looked on and Rikuto felt as if the cosmetologist was somehow locking eyes with him. Haru, of course, was silent. Shigeru must have wanted him to elaborate... “I know nothing of Yudai, thus I have no opinion.”

“Aha. Yes, there we are. You know nothing about Yudai. However, you probably wouldn’t, right? You weren’t in Yudai’s class and you rarely left your room... Right?” Shigeru raised a finger, “No, no... This won’t do. Instead... Marise?”

The ginger turned as she heard her name, “What do you want, weirdo?” Her emerald eyes were narrowed in a usual annoyed expression, “As you can see, I’m kind of busy.”

“Oh? I didn’t notice. You seemed to be so intently poking at the tablecloth I just thought you zoned out from boredom. How silly of me.” Shigeru’s smirk was accented by the tensing of muscles as Marise marched straight to him. “Now, now. I just wanted to ask you about Yudai. You were in the same class, yes?”

“I guess so. He was a transfer student, though. Appeared from nowhere one day and fit right in to the group of losers. Dunno what he ever did, though. Always writing. Even I don’t feel like writing all day. Such a weird loser.” Marise folded her arms, her weight on one leg. “Why? It’s not like there’s anything special about him.”

“On the contrary. It seems no one knows a thing about Yudai other than him being a transfer student and a mask maker. Yet... I don’t think it’s all that odd.” Shigeru shrugged, “Now Haru, do you understand? Through these questions, I am evaluating Yudai. I have learned that Yudai is not just a mask maker in trade, but also a metaphorical mask maker. His mask is so great, no one knows who he truly is, despite hiding in plain sight. Truly an Ultimate.”

“I had no idea... I guess I can learn something from you.” Haru looked at Shigeru, “You’re a lot more... calculated than I originally expected.”

Immediately, Haru regretted saying it, but Shigeru laughed, “I get that a lot. So, Riku. You inspected that sheet of iron. What did you learn, if I may ask.”

“It’s covering something. But it cannot be a window. If the bear is to be trusted, we are underground.” Rikuto lowered his head, but jerked it back up as a familiar voice met his ears.

“Well, what can I say? You are underground! But how can I prove it to my dear, dear, uhhh... Hmm. Well I can’t really call you my students, now can I?” Rikuto turned to see the monochromatic bear sitting on the ground, “Perhaps if I told you that plate of iron is blocking an elevator? Puhuhu! It leads further down into the SRS. But I can’t let you down there. Besides... Do you really want to go further down..? Upupupupu...”

“Ew. I don’t want to go down. I want to get out of here!” Marise spat, “Isn’t that obvious, you two-toned idiotic toy?”

“Well, I’m not a toy... My pride has been wounded. But it’s fiiiine. There is a way to open this elevator, but that’s a surprise! I hope you look forward. Now that’s all from Captain Monokuma!”

Before anyone else could respond, Monokuma did a twist as he jumped before he went spinning through the floorboards. Rikuto, grunting, tapped it with his steel-toed boot, but it held firm. How odd.

“Do you think he’s bouncing between us and the other group?” Kouki said, approaching the small cluster from her personal investigation. “Either way, I wonder how we open it. There could be clues down there.”

“Nothing good.” Rikuto shook his head. Though the moment lasted in silence, the four others certainly agreed with him. After Monokuma’s cruel method for escape, this could be no better.

“Well, erm… Hm. I would ask you what you found, Marise, but that seems like it may be a complete waste of time.” Shigeru said, frowning. Once, he might’ve bitten his lip. As a child, certainly. But his snaggletooth would easily pierce the soft skin and blood running down his chin simply would not do.

The novelist snorted, “If you want to know what I found, go over there and look yourself. I am in no way indebted to you to share my findings.”

“That sounds like code for ‘I actually didn’t investigate much of anything,’” Kouki sighed. “It’s fine, though. I also looked around the tables and, honestly, I didn’t discover much of anything. They’re all just tables and tablecloths.”

“Well, Shohei and his little group haven’t come back yet so… Ah, Marise, Marise… maybe you should pay them a visit.” Shigeru nodded, his repeating of Marise’s name sounding almost condescending. Well, Shigeru meant it more in a scolding tone. He’d met people like Marise before and handling them certainly proved a challenge, but he was more than willing to face it.

“Why me? Can’t you see I’m much too scared to be alone with a… a weirdo coffee addict, a moving doll, and a frog girl!?” Marise lowered her head, pressing her fingertips together as if nervous.

“My, my, best to face your fear then, yes?” Shigeru smiled, “Though I find it odd you would be nervous around Keroko, don’t you?”

“Ugh. Fine. Whatever.” In her standard heel-face-turn, Marise gritted her teeth and stomped off toward the door near the back. Of course, she had heard Shohei’s ramblings about a kitchen, but she really didn’t care too much. It’s not like she would be cooking, right?

Marise opened the door with quite a considerable amount of force. So much so that she saw the aftereffects of Shohei jumping, startled by the occurrence. Blinking her large eyes at him, Marise then scanned the room. Of course, Keroko and Niseko were there, the former staring up at her with what Marise could only describe as a dopey expression.

The room was, as expected, the kitchen. On one wall, knives and pans. On the other, a fridge, stove, microwave, and other basic kitchen appliances. In the center of the room was a table for cooking space and on the wall opposite of the door was a cupboard that served as the pantry.

“W-What are you d-doing here? I-I would’ve thought that you’d, u-uh… Been too repulsed b-by the idea of exploring with others…” Shohei muttered, his teeth chattering.

“Well, I would’ve thought it would be the idea of exploring in the first place!” Niseko exclaimed, clambering to the top of the table in the center of the kitchen. “But I mean, to each their own.”

“Shut up, loser doll. Stop hiding like a coward behind your plastic dummy and face this situation like the rest of us.” Marise growled, pointing a finger at the doll.

“H-Hey, it’s not like I… I’m not...” Niseko’s voice trailed off as she put a hand on her cheek. 

With a mighty leap, Keroko hopped onto the table next to Niseko with an angry croak, pointing back. Quickly, Niseko placed a cold hand on Keroko’s shoulder. “It’s okay! It’s okay. It’s hard for me too, y’know… I didn’t choose to participate like this.”

“Participate!? You know, I wouldn’t feel bad about smashing a doll.” Marise glared, “If that gets me out of this place, so be it.”  
“N-No! Don’t do that! I have a lot of sentimental value!” Niseko cried out, thrusting her stubby arms forward.

“Ha! Is it the ramen cup on your head that raises your net worth?” Marise smirked, watching with glee as the doll stared at her with an almost sorrowful look. Keroko, who had dropped her arm was watching sympathetically. She knew what it was like to have trouble explaining her circumstance and while she had never liked Setsuka in the past, she knew that something had to have happened to the doll maker for Niseko to be in her place like this. 

Having both been in her class, Keroko and Niseko were familiar with Marise’s demeanor and work ethic. Or rather, the lack of such. There was no way the novelist was going to do any real investigating so, with a quick glance at Keroko, Niseko began to speak. “So… At first, we doubted what Monokuma said about the food because, well, this space looks pretty small. But, hey! He came and he demonstrated that there really is a stockpile somewhere.”

The doll clasped her hands together as Keroko let out a happy, “Kero!” 

“Do you really think we’ll be here long enough to worry about stuff like that?” Marise frowned. It was strange, though. Her voice carried more defeat than fire.

“Well, I hope not… But even if we found a way out tomorrow, it’s still good to know. We have sixteen people and it takes quite a bit of food to feed sixteen. Well, fifteen, I guess. I don’t really eat…”

“Referring to yourself like that, are you really controlled by Setsuka? I wouldn’t be surprised if you had some semblance of free will.” Marise folded her arms before hopping up on the counter to sit next to the doll. Keroko frowned, but her expression softened as Marise only blankly stared ahead. “Must be nice, huh?”

“What..? No, I am Setsuka, but I’m not physically Setsuka, which is why you can call me Niseko. I call myself Niseko anyway.” The doll looked down at her feet, “I don’t like any of this. I really don’t. But I’m making do with what I have. You should do that, too.”

“Kero?” After some moments of silence, Keroko pointed toward the door. “Kero kero.”

“I guess you’re saying we should go, huh?” Marise dropped back down to the floor as Keroko nodded, “Yeah whatever. Let’s see what those losers are up to.”

\----  
The group had split into two and as Haru’s group had gone right, the others went left. Leading them was Amari. Of course, Kanna would normally be in front, but he lagged behind, sure to keep his eyes on Yukari. It seemed that he really meant what he said, more than I would ever expect from any student. But perhaps the Super High School Level Perfection is inclined toward that nature.

Amari looked back at the others before slowly opening the door, the breeze from the change in air pressure washing over her. She pressed forward, the expanse of the room opening to her. 

Though it was more furnished than the previous room, it still felt cold. What else could one expect from a shelter? The center of the room housed a large circular table and dotted around it were sixteen chairs. Though it was much smaller than the room the other group explored, it shared a commonality in having another room to the back.

“So, it would seem as though the intricacy of this plot may be deeper than we imagined,” Yudai narrowed his eyes, stepping past Amari. He walked toward the table, aware of Ami following closely behind. They both made their way around the table, though Ami lightly tapped each chair as she did, as if counting.

“Yeah. That’s the feeling I get, too. Whatever we’ve been caught up in, none of us are here by accident.” Ami turned to look at Yudai, though just what she could see through her thick bangs was questionable.

“Well, I say. This does seem to be a good space to hold meetings, don’t you think? In fact, I’d say that’s its intended purpose.” Yamato said, his voice reverberating and bouncing off the stone walls.

“Man, oh man. I can’t wait to get set up here!” Excitement edged Nori’s voice as he set a large poster on the table. Curious, Mei craned her neck to see what it was, but confusion shone in her red eyes as she realised that she had no idea what any of it was for. 

“Now, I know you said you were going to watch me, Kanna, and I know I said the equivalent of ‘Do what you’d like’ but, ah, hm.” Yukari brought a finger to her chin, “Isn’t this a bit excessive? Surely you wish to do an examination of your own. There are six others here. If you all were to lose track of me…”

“I get what you’re saying, but… Well, you aren’t trustworthy in the slightest.” Kanna shook his head, “No normal person can procure a bat from thin air. Not even me.”

“Well, of course not. Who’d think that? What a foolish thought!” Yukari chuckled, “Procuring a bat from thin air… Hoho…”

“It’s a waste of time to talk to her,” Ami cut through Yukari’s soft laughter, “And it’s likely a waste of time to keep tabs on her. I don’t doubt that she has the means to kill but I also don’t think she has the motive to kill.”

“That’s true…” Kanna lowered his head, “Even if she were the one behind this… That’d go against the purpose of having us do the work.”

“Ah, so am I finally in the clear? Wonderful!” Yukari clapped her hands together. “Your vigilance makes me wonder how far I can press your talent, love. You do seem to be the very embodiment of it, don’t you think?”

“Is that a compliment? From you, I can’t tell.” He sighed, realising that the question was futile as, surely, Yukari had no intention of clearing anything up, no matter how small. The psychoanalyst lived for the confusion that sprang from the seeds she sowed. 

“If this whole thing is so perfectly planned, what need to we have of this room?” Amari placed a hand on the table, “Are we meant to hold regular meetings? And for what?”

“I am unsure as to the function of such a room as a ‘meeting room’.” Mei folded her arms, “Do you meet new people in it?”

“No, it’s… Hm. The purpose is to meet with people you probably already know to talk together, usually about work.” Ami chose her words carefully but even as she did, she wasn’t sure just how much Mei would understand.

“I… see.” She didn’t, but she was used to not understanding. Mei hoped that she would be able to replace that which she had lost soon. At least to prevent this very thing from occurring so often. Books didn’t get impatient. Words on a page weren’t passive aggressive. They weren’t like people. Mei didn’t get people.

Yudai exhaled through his nose as he addressed Yukari, “What about your talent, Yukari?”

“Psy-cho-ana-lyst.” She smiled, “At your beck and call.”

“An odd append to your title. I don’t imagine it has much to do with it at all.” Yudai looked down at Yukari. He stood a good half-foot taller than her, but it didn’t seem to bother her at all as she continued to grin. “Does it?”

“Kyahahahaha!” Yukari began cackling before wiping a tear off her face, “Ha… Oh, love, I would be extra careful with this subject if I were you. You never know what secrets might accidentally be uncovered, right?”

“Secrets. You must have a lot more than you claim.” Yudai continued, ignoring her subtle threat, “Yes, I have my own. As does everyone. But does withholding yours not harm the group?”

“Oho, I’d say your secrets are greater yet, Yudai. Yudai, Yudai, Yudai.” She repeated his name as if it sounded funny to her, “Yudai Shimizu. My, what a fascinating name, don’t you think?”

“I suppose it might be unusual compared to a name such as Yukari.” Yudai answered, level-headed. The collective attention of the room had been drawn to this exchange by this point, “I don’t imagine you write it normally, however, do you? The character, is it not unfamiliar water?”

“Yukari, hm? Yes, I suppose if you are thinking of ‘Purple’, that is, in fact, not my name. Connection, edge, fate. These are all meanings of my name.” Yukari bowed her head as she said it. “Names are very powerful. Yukari and Yudai… They start with the same sound, same amount of kana… Maybe you are fated to understand me. Kyahaha!”

“Well, isn’t this just a fascinating conversation?” Yudai turned to see Yamato, leaning on his oversized hoop. “Personally, I think you both have secrets worth sharing. But then, don’t we all?”

A grin was plastered onto Yamato’s face, but it was easily forced. Perhaps the only one in the room who did not catch on was Mei, blissfully unaware. He continued, “But working together is our goal and that requires a fair balance of spoken and unspoken secrets.”

Nobody felt the need to call Yamato out on his blatant face because what he had chosen to go with what the best option. It just meant that they’d need to keep an eye on him to see how well he kept up his own proposal. Even Yukari didn’t seem to have any counters to it. Amari kept her gaze fixed on the psychoanalyst’s face, scanning for any hints as to her true thoughts. Of course, she found none.

“I really like the idea of working together. I know it sounds obvious, but it’s not as easy as you’d think,” Nori was now sitting in one of the chairs, “I mean, I work with people all the time and more than half of that time is arguing.”

“With how things have been going so far, I’d be surprised if all were to go swimmingly forward,” Yudai murmured. He folded his arms, his eyes closed with a relaxed expression. “We have orders to kill. Unification will not come easily, especially when there are those who do not trust others.”

“We could all find ways to distrust each other. But we can also find ways to trust. I think it’s possible. And I also think that if we do work together, a way out will eventually reveal itself. One that ideally does not go down the path of murder,” Ami lowered her head. “Nobody wants that. I doubt even Yukari does.”

“Yet we find ourselves among murderers, don’t we? Mei Meiyo, an assassin, Amari Hoshino, a bodyguard… Ami, have you ever killed someone?” Yukari’s cold gaze seemed to pierce through Ami’s bangs.

“You first, Yukari. Have you killed anyone?” Ami responded evenly.

“Hmhm… What a curious way to dodge the question. I guess you could say I have. But you could also say I haven’t.” Yukari looked up at the ceiling, “It’s a surprisingly subjective subject when you think about it. Purposefully, I think not. Indirectly, perhaps. Metaphorically… Most certainly.”

“Metaphorical killing. I guess some would say your vague answer is bull but… No, I share the pleasure of having such conflicted experiences. As a hypnotist… I always wonder. But you already knew that, didn’t you?” Ami rubbed the side of her head, “And you think there are others. Maybe you already know, but you do suspect the others to some extent, don’t you?”

“You are quite intelligent, love.” Yukari grinned, “I suppose you’ll just have to figure it out for yourself. But, my, with a display like that, it should pose you no problem.”

“I figured you would say as much.” Ami sighed. Brushing herself off, she too sat in one of the chairs, across from Nori. “I got a sense that everyone here is intuitive in their own right. Perhaps that is one of the reasons that we are the ones here… Perhaps the man behind the curtain has been watching us for longer than we thought…” 

“Longer than we thought? What do you mean? I- Hm. Well.” Yamato furrowed his brow. He seemed at a loss or rather, as if he meant to say something and decided against it. Clearing his throat, Yamato tried again, “As a ringleader, I, of course, know a thing or two about organising things, so please! I implore you to share your thinking so that I may add to it.”

“We were not selected at random. We’ve already established the amount of preparation that had to go into this. For the participants to be completely and utterly random would be… It wouldn’t fit even if this were some sort of experiment.” Amari brought a finger to her chin, “It makes more sense that all of this was designed around one concept and that we were part of the initial concept. Earlier, Ami, you stated none of us were here by accident.”

“Yes, that’s right. Either there’s some single connecting thread or we all have a part to play. I shudder to think of the implications of either.” Ami put her head on her arm, propping it up, “But with the limited knowledge we have… Well…”

“If we all play a part, doesn’t that mean that the future is pretty much predicted? Like, uh, if we follow the rules of the game and murder someone, right? That means that the mastermind already knows who’s gonna murder who! But how is that possible at all?” Nori’s eyes went wide as he stared at Ami. “Everyone seems sensible enough, except maybe Yukari. Even Mei… Mei, you wouldn’t kill anyone, would you?”

The ninja tilted her head, giving a short response, “Do you want me to?”

“What? No, no! What makes you say that?” Nori flinched at the thought. The way Mei had said it, so nonchalantly… It bothered Nori. It made his hair stand on end and his skin crawl. Mei had already proved that she was ignorant to social norms and common sense. Just what did that make her?

“I’m thinking back to what you said earlier, Mei. What exactly is your job? As the Ultimate Ninja… I feel that I must not be seeing eye to eye with you,” Kanna placed a hand on his hip and glanced toward Amari and then back at Mei.

“My job… People ask me to kill and so I do it. I am quiet. I ask no questions. For the honor of my code, I must not refuse.” Mei stared Kanna in the eye, unsettling him ever so slightly.

“Have you crafted your own code? Perhaps it can be revised. After all, such a code will not end for your, or anyone’s, good.” Yudai shut his eyes for a moment before breathing, “I wonder what makes you the Ultimate Ninja… However, if you truly cannot refuse, consider me your current employer. Until I give you any further instruction, you are not to kill.”

“Understood.” Mei bowed and placed her hand on the sheath of her wakizashi, “Takeo and I will lend ourselves to your cause.”

“That easy, huh?” Yamato scratched his head, “You sure what you said earlier about intuition, Ami? This girl seems to have no will of her own.”

“I can admit that I’m not the smartest thinker, either. But I don’t want to believe the other option you posed,” Nori stared into the table, “No way anyone can predict the future. So then… Will they try to influence us somehow?”

As the green-haired boy looked up, chills ran down Ami’s spine, “Wait a moment. I just want to clear something up before we go any further. I’m just in the dark as you guys. I’m not going to hypnotise anyone here to kill, that’s ridiculous!”

“I… wasn’t implicating you.” Nori shook his head, but his words held no fire. It was as if he’d already given up, “I honestly don’t know what to think, but I stand by what I said. We should work together.”

“Don’t sound so hopeless, Nori!” The politician jumped and turned his head to be face to face with Yukari, “If you’ve given up already, that just makes you a bigger target, don’t you think?”

“Huh?”

“Well, you were just talking about how it’s impossible to predict the future and how you don’t want to believe that everything is premeditated, no? But being all depressed like this… Maybe they want that? What if on their little list is ‘Nori Sasaki: Victim’? I would hate to see you fulfill that premeditation, wouldn’t you, love?” Yukari’s grin seemed innocent, but Nori felt as though he were staring into the face of a demon. A temptation that was laced with malice. Yukari turned and pointed at Mei, “And you. Hm, yes, yes. I think that you and I should have a therapy session. Isn’t it such good fortune that they happen to be a specialty of mine?”

“Therapy..?” Mei blinked, “I do not understand. Please explain.”

“Oh, of course, love. ‘Therapy; Noun; A type of treatment that helps someone grow stronger or recover from an illness; disorder; trauma.’” Yukari’s expression didn’t change as she continued, “‘Treatment; Noun: A method of improving the condition of an ill person.’ Methods within methods. Of course, you learn more from practice, I think you’ll find.”

“It doesn’t seem wise to leave Yukari alone with Mei…” Kanna cut in, rubbing the side of his head. From what little he knew of Mei, it was abundantly clear that a psychoanalyst would have no problems influencing her thoughts. “How do we know that you aren’t going to plant seeds of doubt in her mind?”

“Normally, client sessions are a hundred percent confidential by law but given the circumstances, if you have Mei’s consent, I see no reason why you can’t stand in.” Yukari’s smile vanished into more of a slight curiosity, “Perhaps you can act as her guardian, keehee!”

Though he kept an ear toward the conversation, Yamato made his way to the door as, to him, it seemed that the others had either forgotten or were too distracted to bother with it. As he pushed open the heavy metal door, he noticed a couple of heads turn to look at him. Yudai even made his way over to join him as Yamato poked his head in. A light switch on the wall turned on a single bulb which illuminated what seemed to be a storage room, albeit quite bare. A few chairs and a lot of cobwebs were housed in the room and Yamato let out a heavy sigh.

“Though the contents are scarce, it would still do us good to take inventory. In the tides of confusion may we forget. Then so we’d find ourselves in a precarious situation.” Yudai walked past Rikuto into the storage room and turned around to look at the wall the door was set in.

“The way you speak is so unnatural, I honestly wonder how you keep it up,” Yamato commented as he followed Yudai in. Without asking for permission, Yudai shut the door, leaving the two alone in the small room, “Uh, Yudai?”

Bound by his personal code of optimism, as shaky as it was, Yamato had no choice but to keep up his smile, though nerves were cracking through. Yudai took a deep breath, “Relax, Yamato. I’m just checking how the door fits on the wall and how the room as a whole functions.”

“Functions?” Yamato adjusted his hat, “Ah, you mean like… the ins and outs of it. Lots of rooms hold secrets. I would know.”

“Yes. Buried in deep trenches are the little intricacies that, unsolved, may lead to our demise. Yamato… Why did the Titanic sink?” Yudai turned toward the ringmaster, his expression unreadable. Perhaps you may read what Yudai said here and think, hm, this reminds me of a different series. Talking about something so seemingly unrelated in a small enclosed room… Especially the Titanic… But I will assure you, such connections are easily formed with little basis.

“Well, it hit an iceberg, of course!” Yamato answered without hesitation, “But why does that matter here? We’re just looking for a way out of an apparently underground shelter.”

“The Titanic did hit an iceberg, but why? The event has long passed into history, but there are several educated assumptions on this tragedy. Above all was a lack of preparation and foresight, as well as overconfidence. Warnings were ignored, and the ship passed into the icy without hesitation.” Yudai began to trace the doorframe with his finger, testing for the solidity, “But perhaps the most curious thing was the fact that the seas were calm. Would you think the silence of the vast ocean to be a deadly phenomenon?”

“Sailors are usually singing praises of stormless seas, aren’t they? But hm, I guess thinking about it, if it’s dark and the ocean is still, it might be difficult to see icebergs before it’s too late.” Yamato frowned, thinking about the words as he said them. This, Yudai though, must be one of Yamato’s true faces. A person free from the burden of wearing a mask. A burden the mask maker knew all too well. Yamato shook his head, “But still, why is this important? How does this relate?”

“We must not put faith in the calm seas. If we become lax and underestimate this situation… Well, the moment we let our guard down is the prime for a predator to strike,” Yudai took his finger off the door, “Do not let your guard down, Yamato. Do not break your outer face easily, no matter how tempting it may become.”

Yamato narrowed his eyes as Yudai opened the door again, taking some offense from the cryptic words. The brighter light from the meeting room filtered in and he took off his glasses to rub his adjusting eyes. What could he possibly take from Yudai’s “advice”? How could he trust someone like that after such confounding comments? He did know and he felt like he wouldn’t for a while yet.

Yudai and Yamato exited the small room together to find that only a few remained. Amari sat in a chair, turned away from the table, and Mei and Ami were talking about something, though both girls had quiet voices, so Yamato couldn’t make their conversation out. Perhaps most surprising was that sitting on the edge of the table, staring at a door that led out of the room, though not to the room they had woken in, was Yukari.

The enigmatic psychoanalyst smiled a slight smile when Yudai approached her, “Ohoho… Do you need something, Yudai?”

“Quite. I would like to speak on the matter of earlier.” Yudai folded his arms, “Tell me, Miss Nagakage. Is your name truly Yukari? Or is that a name you chose for yourself?”

“Straight to the point with your sword of distrust, hm? I suppose that must be the only way you can look at me and justify yourself…” Yukari blinked, “Ah, never mind that, though. Is my name truly Yukari? Well, I like to think so, but I suppose that no one can prove that it is, not even myself. But, Yudai, what is a name but the manner in which you are addressed?”

“Names are very powerful, you said. I did not take you for one to change your mind so quickly.” Yudai pursed his lips, “In roman characters, Our names do indeed start with a ‘Y’ and a ‘U’, and end in an ‘I’. I do not believe you would bring up such a similarity without purpose. So tell me your purpose.”

“I fear you would despise me more than you already do if I really answered that, truly and honestly. In fact, it’s quite brave of you to come to me with the questions you have.” Yukari smiled, despite what she had just said, “However, in regards to said question, well, let’s see… There is one person here who is going by a pseudonym and one who’s name has been lost.”

“Lost? I am unsure what you mean by that.” Yudai murmured. “Swallowed by what current?”

“Surely you don’t believe the girl’s name to really be Keroko, do you? Wouldn’t that be a bit convenient? But for a girl who can only speak in croaks, Keroko would be a name quite fitting,” Yukari grinned her more malicious grin, “With this… Yes, aren’t you smart, Yudai? I’m sure you can determine whether my name is true or not.”

“You seem to know a lot. How did you come by this knowledge?” The mask maker ran his fingers up the horn of his mask, “Or is that, too, a secret of yours?”

“My, my… You really are more curious than I expected you to be.” Yukari sighed, shaking her head, “But I suppose you can’t help it, can you? Very well, take this.”

The blonde waved her hand toward the ground, as if beckoning, and when it rose back up, she held in her hand a letter adorned with a red seal. Slowly and carefully, she handed it to Yudai, “But don’t open it until you are in a private location. I guarantee you, it will only harm you to be in the presence of others. But, still, it is up to you. It won’t affect me if you open it with company.”

As Yukari did this, Amari turned her head, having noticed the strange appearance of the letter. Perhaps it slipped out of the psychoanalyst’s sleeve, but then… That wouldn’t account for the spear and the bat. The bodyguard grit her teeth, but said nothing, and returned to the rather boring fixed point she was staring at.

“So, just where did everyone else get to?” Yamato scratched his head, “And why didn’t you guys follow?”

“Ah, they went through there,” Ami pointed toward the door that Yukari had been observing, “Mei had a few questions for me and, I’m sure you remember, Amari wanted to talk with her, too. So, they talked a bit and then Amari wanted to wait for you two. Mei and I are still mid-discussion, though, so if you want to go on ahead, don’t worry about us.”

Mei glanced over with a single, deep nod. Amari stood up, a smile on her face, “It’s only natural that I wait for you. I must apologise, though. I was lost in thought. If you are ready to go, then go we will.”

"Alright then! No way to go but forward,” Yamato beamed and headed toward the door, Amari following closely behind.

“Will you not join us, Yukari?” Yudai questioned as he noticed Yukari remaining in her sitting position.

“I have, ah, stuff to think about. Yes, you could say that.” She smoothed her skirt and smirked, “Besides, I already know what’s through that door anyway. All in due time.”

“Hm. Quite suspicious, but if you insist.” Yudai shook his head and followed the other two. 

Through the door was a hallway. Peering down, one could see three more doors, two on the opposite wall of the one they had come. Lining the near wall was what looked to be lockers of some sort. Kanna was already there, inspecting each locker in what was likely excruciating detail. Certainly, some of the students had already moved into the other room, whether it be in curiosity or out of a sense of duty.

In the hallway was several students. Kanna, of course, as well as Nori, who was hovering around the former. Oddly enough, so were Shigeru and Rikuto, despite having been in the other group. Having seen this, Amari quickly strode down the hall to one of the doors. Placing her hand on the doorknob, she eyed Shigeru, “You came from here, didn’t you?”

“Yes, yes. That would seem to be a cafeteria area.” Shigeru nodded, “It would seem these rooms form a circle. Alas, Kanna already informed us that you guys investigated a meeting room with no sign of an exit.”

“That would be true. What of those doors?” Amari motioned toward the two doors. They were identical in all accounts except the doorframes. One was red, the other was blue. “I assume the other students are either there or in the cafeteria?”

“I guess ‘cafeteria’ doesn’t really describe it very well… It looked like it was more dressed up than that. But anyway, yes. Some people moved on, some stayed… Hmm hmm…” Shigeru hummed to himself for a moment, “Those doors… I only got a glance, but seemed like more hallway to me.”

“A dead end and many doors.” Rikuto walked over, his thick arms folded. He’d been watching people go in and out and he knew a little of what to expect should he go that way. What he’d been doing, before overhearing the conversation between Shigeri and Amari, was testing the walls for any weak points in the infrastructure. It was for naught, however, but Rikuto expected little else.

“Perhaps it would benefit us to figure out just what’s there.” Amari murmured and narrowed her eyes, “No one’s come out yet?”

“Not yet, not yet.” Shigeru answered, running his fingers through his hair, “But they haven’t been there for the longest of times yet. Perhaps it’s a good thing, you think, hm? After all, if they don’t return soon, they likely found something.”

“Yes, my thoughts exactly.” Amari nodded and began to head for the red door. Just what could be beyond? Monokuma’s thoughts ringing in her mind, she had a strong feeling that it wasn’t an exit of any sort. At worst, it would be a trap, but the way the bear spoke… No, he wanted them to harm each other. If not, they wouldn’t be here, alive, to continue spinning their tale.

Of course, I feel I am obligated to pause here in case I have risen your hopes. There is certainly death in this documentation. When I say ‘alive’, I mean at this point in the documentation. I knew as I uncovered this that only a fool could be so optimistic and so I implore you to also not be so misguided.

Amari slowly turned the knob, aware of Shigeru behind her, and opened the door with a sense of purpose. As it opened to a hallway, Amari realised that she didn’t have any real expectations. Lined on either side of the walls were eight doors and staring at one of them, the one closest to Amari no less, was Keroko. 

Shigeru turned his head, “Are you coming, Riku?” He hadn’t expected the welder to follow him, so when he saw him hanging back by the lockers, he wasn’t surprised.

“No.” As simple as most of his answers, Rikuto stared on, no emotion escaping past the dark mask covering his face. He had been watching, so he knew who had gone into which hall. It didn’t matter in the long run, of course, but they were capable enough people, so Rikuto felt no need to clutter the hall.

“Alright, alright.” Shigeru turned back to see that Amari had already gone on. Keroko tilted her head to look as the bodyguard walked past her. Amari looked as if she were going to say something, but apparently changed her mind as her expression shifted to one of more bewilderment. “Is everything alright?”

What surprised Amari was that on one of the doors was her old school emblem. Instinctively, she looked at her armband, where the same symbol was embroidered on. After staring for what must have been longer than necessary, Amari finally looked back at Keroko, “Does that symbol mean something to you?”

The frog girl shook her head and then pointed to the door behind her. Of course, Amari knew that Keroko meant that was likely her school symbol, but then whose was the one she was looking at. 

Shigeru spoke up, his finger pointed at some sort of panel on the wall next to one of the doors, “Interesting, interesting… Looks like some kind of scanner, doesn’t it? I caught you looking at that door over there. Want to try scanning something?”

“Like what?” Amari frowned and a croak from Keroko drew her attention down to the herpetologist. Keroko was holding a thin device that seemed large in contrast to her tiny gloved hands. Her Monopad. In understanding, Amari walked back to the door that had emblazoned on it the symbol of Akamine High School. She pressed her Monopad to the panel and heard a steady, but quick, beep and a click as the locking mechanism released itself. She placed her hand on the L-shaped handle and turned it, but not before looking back.

In her confusion over the door, Amari had failed to notice the biggest abnormality. The door opposite to hers held no symbol. Instead, it looked as if it were covered in red spray-paint. She didn’t stick around to ponder, though, she could leave that to someone else for this moment. With a breath, she opened the door, unsure what to expect. What was waiting for her, beyond the door, was a room much like a dorm room. Yet it contained things one would not normally find within such a room. Training equipment, guns that Amari could only imagine were fake, dummies for combat training… All things related to her talent.

Amari was drawn to a desk, of all things, upon which rested a picture, framed in oak wood. Her door ajar, she was barely aware of Shigeru asking to come in and slowly nodding as her mind was consumed by what the picture showed. It was, simply put, her current client. After a bit, she snarled, “Damn it. Why must this be here? To remind me that as long as I am trapped, I can’t fulfill my duty as a bodyguard?”

“Whatever is the matter, Amari? I didn’t expect you would snap like this so easily.” Shigeru walked over and peered around Amari to get a glimpse of what set her off. Of course, being more than half a foot shorter than Amari made it difficult. “Ah. Why not simply get rid of it? It’s only here to mock you, nothing more.”

“I know.” Amari sighed heavily, setting it down, “But… I feel as though I’m obligated to keep it here. Even if it pains me, I can’t forget that I am duty-bound. It will be the fuel driving me to move forward, no matter what.”

“My, my… I do hope you won’t resort to violence,” Shigeru brought a finger to his chin. “Ah, my apologies. You are too level-headed for that. Ignore what I said, please. It was… stupid of me to say that out loud.”

“No, it’s a natural response. We’ve been thrown into a scary, impossible situation. What else can we do but watch our backs and hope that no one snaps before we find a way out?” Amari turned to look Shigeru in the eye, “But I confess. I’m already starting to lose hope. If you guys found something in the cafeteria, you would’ve said it. And there are only eight rooms in this hall, so it stands to reason that the blue door is just more dorms.”

“Yes, I thought the same. This Monokuma is really pushing the murder thing hard, isn’t he? But we can still hold on to hope. Alcatraz was known to be an inescapable prison, right? But three men escaped. There was even a movie about it.” Shigeru reached into his belt and pulled out a brush and began to spin it between his fingers, “If Alcatraz was escapable, this place, the Subterranean Rescue Shelter or whatever, you know, something we’ve never heard of. Well, it’s bound to be.”

“I suppose that’s a fair enough assumption. If we really are underground, though, it will prove difficult.” Amari frowned, looking down.

“Yes, and while there is apparently an elevator in the dining hall, albeit blocked off at the moment, we were told it goes down, not up. Who puts an elevator in a dining hall anyway?” Shigeru chuckled and stuck the brush back, “On a lighter note, I want to find my room. If yours looks like this… I’m excited to see mine.”

“We have to make our own light in a place like this.” Amari smiled, her hand curled into a fist, “If you didn’t find it here, it must be in the other hall. I have a strong feeling they’re gender-separated.”

“My thoughts exactly. We think alike, don’t we? Or at least, we’re both smart enough to put together the clues we are given.” Shigeru headed for the door, Amari trailing behind, slower.

“‘Everyone here is intuitive in their own right.’ Ami said that and I’m beginning to agree with her.” Amari nodded. “Even if one is to initially cock an eyebrow at people like Mei and Nori… I see something more calculated in their eyes.”

“Very observant. Mei is held back by the limitations brought on by what I can only assume is her upbringing and book smart has very little to do with intuition. To be a politician, especially one of Nori’s nature, he must be quite resourceful.” Shigeru walked past the doorframe back into the hall. Keroko still remained, but now Niseko was with her. It stood to reason, then, that perhaps the room Keroko had been staring at was Setsuka’s. But without Setsuka, what purpose would it serve? A doll didn’t need sleep, nor did the doll fit the role of doll maker.

“May I invite you to join me, Amari?” Shigeru said, spinning on his feet. “Perhaps we can convince Riku to come, as well.” 

“Of course. I must admit, I’m also curious to see what other dorms hold. For all we know, one could hold the key to escape.” Amari nodded and led the way back out the red door.


	2. Account

Haru leaned back in the chair he was sitting in, his eyes glued to the ceiling. He exhaled a deep breath and pursed his lips. There had been nothing more to the floor they were in aside from the first room, the dining hall and kitchen, the dorms, and the meeting room and storage room, which all sixteen students were in. They had each shared what they had found, but none of it was all too interesting. 

When under pressure, the personality of a person changes to accommodate the situation. Most people who were in that room knew that and that knowledge was the thing that prevented them from connecting. Take the Prisoner’s Dilemma, for example. If you were in the situation of these poor kids and you knew that working together could result in escape, but killing had a higher chance of guaranteeing it, it would be a tough call. Of course, immediately you would think it to be impossible. You’d never kill someone. But under this pressure, the fear of the unknown threat... There were definitely some who would consider that option. 

There are four options in the Prisoner’s Dilemma. Person A and Person B both benefit each other. Person A betrays Person B. Person B betrays Person A. Both people go the selfish route and accomplish nothing. Only one of these are considered a ‘good’ result by ethical standards, but to limit that chance of being betrayed, you might be inclined yourself.

Working this out, what would be the logical option?

“How long do you plan on staring blankly, Haru?” The ginger boy cocked his head at Kouki who was eyeing him with her soft brown eyes. “We won’t solve anything like this.”

As if coming to his rescue, Amari shook her head, “I want to get out as much as you guys, but we need a plan and, at the moment, no opportunities have arisen.”

“So you’re saying we wait for a chance rather than make our own? I must say I fail to see the logic in that.” Yamato countered.

Marise snorted, “I fail to see your logic, hoop boy. We have no chance at ‘making our own’. Wake up already.” The ginger girl stood up, but a tug at her skirt prevented her from walking off. Keroko looked up at her with large red eyes. “This place is escape-proof! What else do you want me to say?”

“There have been documented cases of what one may call ‘spiriting away’. Cases where people vanish for days at a time and return, exactly where they left, with no memory of ever being gone. Eventually those around them, too, forget because such an event causes so little a splash. In fact, you could say the pool is completely still. In the vast depths of life, things that mean nothing are eventually forgotten, does that make sense?” Yudai was holding his mask in one hand as he gazed at it.

“How does it relate to our situation?” Ami rested her elbow on the table and leaned forward. “I wouldn’t call this meaningless.”

“No, you wouldn’t. Not at this time... Not at this place. However, in these cases, some people simply never returned. Other times, people appeared as if from nowhere, without origin and unable to tell of their past. And if that is the case, who is to say that people haven’t disappeared with their origins erased?” Yudai looked up, his expression unreadable, “I could ask each of you of your past and you would be able to answer me, is this true?”

Most people nodded, some said nothing, yet Yudai continued, “Who is to say that in twenty-four hours, we all will be here and accounted for? Even should a murder not occur, in a place as suspended as this, a breath held, waiting for the break of fresh air... Wouldn’t this be a likely place for such a phenomenon to occur?”

“Ridiculous!” Nori blurted, “That’s not possible. Some trace would be left. And I would know that technology like that doesn’t exist. And don’t say it’s magic, ‘cause that doesn’t exist either. Reality doesn’t bend like that.”

A heavy silence filled the air for a moment before Kanna spoke, his words slow, “Can you really say that with her in the room?” After he said it, he turned to look at Yukari and their eyes met, like ice and silver, both reflecting hidden emotions.

“Oh my, and here I thought I would be able to escape attention for once. You know, it really is quite tiresome to be gawked at all day.” Yukari sighed, spinning a finger in the air in what seemed like a pointless gesture.

“Y-Y-You stick out l-like a sore th-thumb...” Shohei frowned, “Th-There’s no w-way you could go unnoticed...” Even as he said it, Shohei doubted his own words. Nothing about Yukari made sense, so how could he say anything definitively.

Yukari shrugged however, “That may be true. But if entire histories can go missing, why not a single person, removed from space and time. What not we see our minds fill in. If there is a gap in space, you would never know, for your mind would cover the hole. You struggled to grasp the idea of how I could pull a spear from the air, but why? There’s an explanation for everything, so why couldn’t you understand it? The unknown is just that: Unknown.”

“You know what is going on?” Mei said, but her question felt more like a statement. She had been quietly listening, half understanding what was being said. More than ever, she missed her personal belonging... But as long as she had what was absolutely necessary, sacrifice could be made. “If you do, tell us.”

“You very much are to the point, Mei, aren’t you? A very fine example of one as sharp as her blades.” Yukari stood up. “Am I wrong in assuming that you learn through action?”

“Action?” Mei pondered that for a brief moment, “In actions, there are no things that I struggle to understand. It is all displayed for me, explained precisely.”

“Then come, ninja. Come at me with everything you’ve got.” Yukari grinned a malicious grin, almost like a beast. Like a dragon who had its prey caught in its trap.

Mei narrowed her eyes, “You are unarmed.”

“Never assume anyth-” Yukari’s voice abruptly stopped as Mei moved so quickly, it was hard to tell where she started and finished. 

A flash of white was visible as the wakizashi cut through the air. Mei was quick, but elegant. A soft giggle told her that she had missed her mark however and she twirled the blade to cut at Yukari again. This time she watched as the psychoanalyst ducked beneath the blade and, in an act that seemed to go against gravity, lunged sideways, parallel with the floor. She kicked her foot into the floor, propelling herself upward into the air with height unimaginable for the maneuver she had just performed.

Undeterred, Mei also leapt into the air after Yukari, driving her blade upward, but the blonde twisted in midair so that the white steel narrowly missed her side. “My, your talent is no fluke, is it?” Yukari landed on the table, hopping backward as Mei followed moments behind with another swipe. “You very much fight to kill. Even though you know what would happen should you kill me... With all of these witnesses.”

“I will not kill you. Even if I land a blow, I trust my skill enough to make my strike non-fatal.” Mei’s movements were graceful, like a dance, while Yukari seemed to be stepping on air to avoid the dangerous swings of the wakizashi. It was no wonder that the other fourteen stood staring, unable to speak.

The waltz of blade and ribbon continued, streaks of red and white. It solidified in Mei’s mind that Yukari was not what she appeared to be and yet... Mei was the Ultimate Ninja and with a quickly formed plan, she leapt to the side of the room, kicking off the wall and hurtling over Yukari’s head. The moment she was over that ribbon, she thrust her blade down, letting go of the hilt. Yukari shot backward, but even she was unprepared for Mei’s sporadic movement.

The ninja’s foot touched the side of the table and with a bang she was at Yukari’s throat. It was too quick for the naked eye to truly catch. She had drawn her katana in her left hand, her right on Yukari’s chest, pressing her against the wall. The edge of the black blade was against Yukari’s throat as her blue eyes stared down at it. Yet, she still carried a smile, albeit more reserved. “Well done. You certainly qualify for a therapy session.”

Mei frowned, but held her position. That was... Until something red seemed to seep out of Yukari’s fingertips, which dangled at her side, “Now, call it what you will, technology or magic. Everything has an explanation.” The red stuff, with a consistency like smoke, curled around Mei’s blade and the black-haired girl let out a soft yelp as some force pushed her backward and she stumbled. As Mei regained her footing, she realised the katana was no longer in her hand and instead floated amongst the smoke. A tendril reached toward the wakizashi and Mei audibly growled before the blade was sheathed by the smoke. The other blade was carefully place in Mei’s hands and, once she had it in her hands, the smoke dissipated into the air, as if it were never there in the first place.

Yukari hadn’t moved, merely standing by the wall. She was no longer smiling. “Know this. Although everything has an answer, sometimes the truth isn’t worth finding. Sometimes ignorance is better.” No one dared to move a muscle as Yukari headed toward the exit and disappeared out the door that lead to the hall.

“The hell?” Yamato exclaimed, “That’s a whole new dimension to smoke and mirrors.”

“I feel as though we need to reevaluate our standings.” Shigeru grit his teeth, instinctively rubbing his neck where Yukari’s knife had pressed before. “Strange, strange... I simply do not understand...”

“Please tell me that someone knew what it was.” Haru lowered his head, almost submissively and Kouki patted his back while shaking her head.

“Magic doesn’t exist... It had to be some sort of technology, right?” Nori placed his head in his hands, “I refuse to believe that was magic.”

“Well, we do have someone here who is familiar with stage magic, right?” Niseko placed her hands together and looked at Yamato. She was, once again, sitting atop Rikuto’s shoulders. “Yamato... What do you think?”

“Me? Why would I- Ah, yes, of course,” The ringmaster took a deep breath, “Right. Magic. Well, it’s possible that it was some technology, but you all saw it too. The smoke was carrying the swords and it pushed Mei, right?”

The girl nodded, staring blankly at the katana in her hands. Absentmindedly, she muttered, “I did not win that fight.”

“But you h-had her in a c-corner!” Shohei exclaimed. He yelped as something wrapped around his neck, sticky and wet. Of course, it was Keroko, but Shohei frantically grasped at it as the tiny girl swung herself onto Shohei’s back and wrapped her arms around his neck, her tongue receding. “Y-Yeah... Yeah... L-Like Keroko is d-doing with me right n-now. Kinda.”

“Nagakage did not use her full power. If she had, I would not have stood a chance...” Mei blinked, “She was unarmed.”

“You said as much before you fought, didn’t you?” Kouki sighed, “She really is an enigma. It just keeps getting weirder. What kind of technology could hold an object while being smoke?”

“Was it invisible, perhaps?” Shigeru threw in, gesturing toward thin air with his hand.

“No. It would cause a disturbance.” Rikuto answered, crossing his arms and shaking his head, Niseko holding on tightly. 

“Right, in the air.” Ami smoothed her thick bangs and bit her lip, “Even something invisible would interact with light somewhat. Perfect invisibility is impossible.”

“If Yukari has such power, why hasn’t she found a way out, yet?” Amari licked her lips, moistening them. “We’ve seen her do impossible things like pull objects from nothing and now conjure a red smoke that can interact with objects. What’s stopping her from leaving?”

“It just makes her seem suspicious, if you ask me. Just another suspicious loser.” Marise frowned. She had since sat down again before the two had begun their strange duel, but she looked ready to leave once more.

“Isn’t that too obvious?” Kouki hung her head, “But because of that, I’m really at a loss.”

“She seems like our best bet at getting out of here but...” Haru’s voice trailed off for a moment, “I doubt she’ll be very cooperative.”

“Well, well. I feel as though Mei would have the best chance.” Shigeru raised a hand and motioned at the ninja who still stood in place.

When her name was said, however, Mei raised her head. Cocking it at Shigeru, she frowned, “Me? Why would I have a better chance than Tanioto?”

“Haru? Interesting that you would single him out. I believe Shigeru was simply pointing out the small bond you have formed with our resident psychoanalyst.” Yudai glanced at Haru and back at Mei.

“Very well. I shall talk to Nagakage.” Mei dipped her head and without waiting for a response, she left the room, out the same door Yukari had gone.

“I worry about her... She’s so... compliant.” Niseko brought a finger to her chin, “I’m worried about her... y’know... Listening to Monokuma and actually killing someone. I know she said she wouldn’t kill Yukari, but...”

“She shall be fine. Worry not, doll. A river flows in one direction, but a dam can stall it. If we keep an eye on Mei, I believe she will not be an issue. Far from it, in fact.” Yudai clasped his gloved hands together.

“Hey, I just noticed something.” Ami’s voice cut through. She had her finger on her Monopad and her face was aglow with the light it emitted. “There’s a map option now. Think it’s because we explored all of the rooms?”

“It’s likely.” Rikuto pulled out his own and after ‘RIKUTO HONDA, WELDER’ flashed on the screen, he found the option Ami was referring to. “Yes.”

A note after he tapped it said, ‘Map unlocked!’ and he looked back up. Niseko had been watching from her perch and she couldn’t help but wonder how Rikuto could see the screen. It wasn’t any brighter than her own.

Meanwhile, Ami stared at Niseko. Earlier she had questioned Yudai but... “Excuse me, Setsuka. Have you had any issues with your Monopad?”

“Me?” Niseko tilted her head and pulled out her own. Tapping the screen with a stubby doll finger, it flickered on.

“Hm. I thought it odd that our gloved companions could activate theirs but you... That’s beyond strange... PCAP shouldn’t be able to do that. You’re just a lifeless doll. Albeit somehow full of life.” Ami tousled her bangs and stared at her own Monopad. “If you don’t mind, any of you, I’d like to investigate this matter with someone.”

“I think you should, Raya.” Nori pointed at Yamato. “I think you two would work well together.”

“What... Er... Yes, that’s fine.” Yamato scratched his head under his hat and smiled sheepishly.

“W-What now, though...? We’ve g-got nowhere t-to go...” Shohei shook his head, feeling the loss of hope creep into his alert mind. It wouldn’t be long before someone would give up, he was sure of it.

Shohei grasped the edge of the table to steady himself, his jittering growing fiercer as his mind was assaulted by thoughts of being confined to this building for the rest of his life. As if sensing his distress, Nori spoke up, “So, uh... What was all that about mind filling in blanks and stuff?”

The answer came from the person who Nori least expected, “There is a phenomenon that is called ‘filling-in’. The brain creates a prediction of the image you see in order to fill in what you are blind to. Are you aware of the blind-spot?” The low voice of Rikuto diminished all chatter in the room. It seemed it wasn’t just Nori. Nobody expected the welder to be the one explaining.

“Blind-spot? I can take guesses.” Nori shook his head, his pigtails flicking around his face.

“The optic disc of the retina cannot detect light and so there is a small blind-spot in which we cannot see. However, because of ‘filling-in’, we are not aware of such a thing,” Rikuto rose a finger, “Yukari is a psychoanalyst. What she was proposing is nothing more than neuroscience and theories. She brought up that we fill in the gaps in our vision and wondered if history does a similar thing.”

“How did you get all of that? She confuses the heck out of me!” Nori threw up his hands, “Things being missing from history? Us making things up to obscure it without even knowing? It’s all impossible. Who would even think that taking a neuroscientific or whatever concept and blowing it up means it’s feasible?”

“Does she truly believe it herself?” Rikuto asked, but his question was more remnant of his speech transitioning to internal thought than a true question.

“Cephalopods do not possess a blind-spot. I wonder just how that would fit into Yukari’s analogy. Perhaps rather than an exception, there exist people who see history for what it is. In which case, would those people be gods..?” Yudai pursed his lips.

“Historians.” Rikuto shook his head as he said it, “People who look at history and realise that there are holes in it. Holes that we otherwise ignore.”

“Are those truly historians? From what was being suggested, it seems to me like not even historians are aware.” Shigeru scratched his face and flicked the residual makeup from under his painted nail.

“Wait, wait. We’re not taking this seriously, right?” Yamato slammed a fist on the desk, causing Shohei, who was next to him, to jump. “That woman is a lunatic! Nothing she says should be taken seriously.”

“And yet, you can’t deny what Yudai said about missing people.” Kanna tilted his head, “I have heard about these disappearances myself and it is true... The victim has no perception of time lost. How do you explain something like that, Yamato?”

“Well, that is... Hey, wait!” Yamato pointed at Kanna, “You’re the perfect one or whatever. You explain it.”

“Fine then. As you wish,” Kanna sighed and looked at Yamato. “When the human brain shuts down, so does all perception. This is a simple way of explaining this phenomenon. But then we come to the question of why and how did the victim’s brains shut down? What kind of experience could take them so effortlessly and return them as if nothing happened while simultaneously removing perception? It really does feel like they were removed from history, doesn’t it? Yet if we dig just a bit deeper... Yes. I believe the technology Yukari displayed earlier is at fault.”

“Technology... Then do you know what it is?” Kouki looked up, hopefully.

“I feel as though it is on the tip of my tongue... Something with the capabilities such as that smoke... But at the same time, I am certain that nothing like it exists. Certain!” Kanna frowned, “I’m conflicted because I both know and do not know.”

“Technology or magic... One seems impossible, the other improbable. But something has to be it. Yukari said everything has an explanation and, logically, it has to be true. But does magic have an explanation?” Haru glanced at Kouki and she stared back with large, concerned eyes. “If we called it magic, it would be so easy to wave it off as unexplainable...”

“If she would just tell us, that would make things so much easier...” Kouki hung her head, “Why is it always people like her that end up with the confusing stories?”

“Yet, I do wonder if what you stated, Yudai, about the exceptions... In Yukari’s analogy, would that be the Ultimates? Those possessing Super High School Level power...” Kanna’s voice trailed off.

“If we call it magic, that makes it easy as hell. I’m okay with easy.” Marise lifted her head, “So if that’s it, that’s it, right? I don’t care about stupid neuroscience or philosophy or theoretical babble, so let’s just agree that the bow bitch’s red smoke was magic and forget about her annoying ramblings.”

“Are you sure that’s wise, Marise?” Amari looked at the smaller girl, her yellow gaze enough to frighten a child.

Marise was not a child though, as child-like as she appeared, and snorted in response, “I don’t really care. Out of all the things here, a psychotic psychologist’s psycho spewings aren’t going to kill me.” With that, Marise stood up and, as Amari began her retort, the novelist quickly made her way out the door to the hallway.

“Well? Who’s next? All this talk about, ahem, hypotheses will get us nowhere.” Yamato grabbed his hat and placed it on the table. He ran his fingers through his light brown hair and looked toward Yudai with a weary expression.

“Unfortunately, it’s all we have. Instead of talking about the lack of escape, why don’t we think about our personal strengths and how we can utilise them.” Kanna stood up, raising two fingers. “Right? We have two goals at the moment. The first is, obviously, escape. The other is making Yukari talk.”

“How?” Rikuto brought a finger to his mask, his thick outfit noisily shuffling about as he did.

“Perhaps... Could Ami do something about Yukari?” Haru frowned at the girl who still seemed to be examining her Monopad.

“Me? You mean my talent..?” Ami sighed heavily, “I can try but... I feel it’s probably not gonna help. You saw how Yukari dispatched Mei’s talent. Whatever she is, she’s already got some sort of grasp on how we work.”

“That’s impossible. I know I keep saying this but really! Come on, we’ve just met Yukari. She can’t know anything more about us, right?” Nori’s green eyes held fear and desperation.

“D-Do you h-have something to h-hide?” Shohei blinked at Nori. The fact that he kept getting uncomfortable with the thought that people might know what he was thinking made Shohei wonder. Why was he so secretive? Or was he even? Perhaps the politician was just paranoid, similar to Shohei.

“I think he’s just naturally like that,” Haru answered for Nori, who was now staring at the table. Haru had been in Nori’s class at Hope’s Peak and, as far as he could tell, Nori had just been a normal student. He could see Yamato subtly nodding in agreement and Shohei stopped talking, apparently satisfied.

“Well, my talent is pretty useless like this...” Niseko frowned and slid down Rikuto to land on the table. “Setsuka is the Super High School Level Doll Maker, not me. I’m just her doll.”

“You are pretty advanced for a doll, though. Maybe you can function as a scout.” Shigeru said, his mind quickly working. He was certain that everyone had something they could do to further the situation. “Talent doesn’t mean everyone. I mean, what would someone like me do? Cosmetologist, cosmetologist... Should I dress someone up to fool Yukari? That doesn’t seem likely, haha.”

“Mine is more useful. I would be more than happy to aid someone if they wish to directly pursue a goal,” Amari nodded as she spoke and then fiddled with her armband. “I’d like to say I’m pretty good, even in unarmed combat.”

“So it seems like Yukari will be the key to escaping, right? So let’s focus our attention on her first.” Kanna said, his natural charisma captivating.

“First, I have a small question. Really just a small tide of an inquiry.” Yudai looked at Kanna and when the red-haired boy said nothing, he looked at Haru, “I think we can agree that Mei is very perceptive. Do you object to that, Haru?”

“No, she has to be. She’s a ninja.” Haru answered, confused as to why Yudai singled him out.

The answer quickly became clear, “Then why, Haru, would Mei link you to Yukari? I believe the words she used were ‘Why would I have a better chance than Tanioto?’ Ignoring her usage of name, why would she pick you?” Yudai’s tone was even but commanding, and Haru felt his body go cold.

“I don’t know... I really don’t. When she saw me, it was just for a second, but I saw something in her face change and I don’t know why. She’s been watching me since. I think that’s what Mei meant. She must think that Yukari and I know each other,” Haru glanced downward, “But I don’t know her. In fact, she’s the most confusing person I’ve met.”

“I think we all feel the same. Yes, yes...” Shigeru brought a hand to his face. “There are so many questions I have and yet, I am certain that none will be answered so easily. For instance, Ami. Murder?”

“I... No. That was just... Ugh. I’m a hypnotist. My talent is dangerous. Sometimes people came to me with... unusual requests, I’ll say. But that’s it. I’m just...” Ami sighed heavily once more, “My entire life is just one big misunderstanding. I hate my talent. What happens if something goes wrong and I break someone... Forever? I hate it.”

“Unusual requests. Is that really the whole truth?” Shigeru’s eyes seemed emotionless as he stared at Ami, scrutinising her.

“Shigeru, please. It’s the whole truth. I have secrets, that much is true. But not about murder!” Ami thrust her Monopad onto the table, “If you refuse to believe me... If you refuse to trust me. Then why am I here? Why am I here at this meeting about working together if you think that I am going to snap and kill?”

With an angry sigh, she grabbed her Monopad and left the room, out the same door as the others. It was hardly noticeable, but Shigeru could have sworn the bottom of her bangs had been damp. Was she crying? His jaw was hanging open, he realised, and quickly closed his mouth, his yellow eyes wide. “I didn’t mean... Oh dear... Ami!?”

And with that, Shigeru gave pursuit, within moments gone. “He should really just leave her be. The girl seems like she’ll need time to recover.” Yamato adjusted his glasses. Ami, to him, had appeared stronger than that. But it was a reminder that he didn’t know these people at all. People could spew out theoretical ramblings all they wanted, but they were still people.

Everyone has at least one weakness, more likely a plethora of weaknesses. Believing one to be foolproof is typically a sign of obliviousness and, perhaps, self-conceit. Ami, like anyone, was just a high school girl when it came down to it. Having her morality called into question like it had so many times before was what set her off.

Kanna bit his lip, wistfully staring at the door, “Well, then... Erm... Setsuka, how would you like to play the role of scout?”

“Doesn’t it feel weird to call me ‘Setsuka’?” Niseko wondered aloud and then snapped her head up, as if the question just registered, “Oh! Uh, yeah! That’s fine. I’ll do my best.”

“Kero?” The frog girl reached a hand toward Niseko and the doll hobbled over. “Kero kero...”

“I’ll be fine,” It was easy enough to tell that Keroko was worried, “I’m just a doll and, besides, what would Yukari do to me anyway? She’s made it very clear that she isn’t actually going to kill anyone, so I’ll be fine!” Niseko finished with her hands together and a grin.

“Kero...” Keroko hung her head and Niseko’s smile faded just a bit as she felt sympathy for her. Whether or not Setsuka truly felt that sympathy was unclear, however. Keroko knew that if she were to look at the face of Setsuka rather than the doll’s, there would be nothing but a grin full of malice. For a moment, Keroko remembered. She remembered that Niseko was truly Setsuka and she let out a noise that was a mixture of a yelp and a croak.

“Hey! Are you okay?” Niseko grabbed Keroko’s arm and met her eyes. Keroko took a breath. Setsuka wasn’t here, not now. It was just Niseko. Even if Setsuka was controlling Niseko, it wasn’t here. Keroko could hold on to that thought and thus, she nodded.

“What will the rest of us do?” Haru said, looking at Kanna, who seemed to be leading the conversation.

“We need information.” Kanna nodded very simply, “About anything here. Make use of your dorm rooms. We can find a way out, I have faith in that.”

“Haru... I’m used to thinking outside the box, but this is absurd. If nothing changes, we can’t do anything about it. We’ve got to make it change!” Kouki curled her hand into a fist.

“I agree, but also...” He looked back at Kanna, “Why our dorms? Mine, at least, is useless. It’s made to practice my cello, not escape a facility.”

“Mine is immaculate. I would be surprised if by looking surface-level, it would be possible to find anything helpful at all.” Kanna responded, “But that’s not all I mean. Yes, some of our ultimate talents provide helpful tools but also... Perhaps there are other secrets. I do not see Monokuma as the type to give certain students an advantage over others.”

“Okay, I guess I’ll look closer, but still...” Haru frowned, his mouth a thin line as he pondered, “I just can’t see anything helpful coming from it. I’m just a musician.”

“I’m an artist. Maybe there are art tools that we can use to chisel our way out!” Kouki smiled a determined smile. “Oh, but... We’re underground... We’ll dig up then! Ooh, I’ll see you later, Haru. I gotta go look.” And with that, Kouki skipped out of the room.

“W-Well, she’s v-very bubbly,” Shohei observed, “I-I actually h-haven’t seen m-my room yet...”

“Mines dumb.” Yamato was twirling hat around his finger but abruptly stopped, “I mean, you know. It’s just all stuff I’m used to. That’s all.”

“Used to or not... Secrets can be held even in the most familiar of streams.” Yudai ran his finger up the horn on his mask. He then held it up to his face, “Somethings are hidden so well, we may never behold their true nature.”

“You’re really a weirdo, you know that?” Yamato shook his head, a playful smile dancing on his lips.

“So you say.” Yudai curtly responded from behind the mask.

“Time to go.” Rikuto said quite suddenly and he stood up, his large form looming over the table, “I will investigate the other room first.” And with that, he headed toward the door that lead back to the room they had woken up in.

“We should split then. Do as Kanna says.” Amari also stood up. “We’ll meet up sometime later to come up with a plan.”

“R-Right! Okay, th-then...” Shohei jumped up and, at that, the room began to empty.

After just a few minutes, the room had been emptied save for Haru and Kouki. The latter turned to Haru, “Why are you hesitating? Is everything okay?”

Haru frowned for a moment and then let out his turmoil in a sigh, “Can we just sit and talk for a bit, Kouki? I’m feeling overwhelmed and I just need to wind down.”

“Oh! Of course we can.” Kouki took a seat at the table and Haru followed her. His movements were slow, sluggish and Kouki could’ve sworn his face was paler than usual. “So, what’s troubling you?”

“Honestly... Is ‘everything’ an answer? Waking up in this place, being stalked by some crazy woman with magic technology smoke whatever... No immediate way out except murder?” Haru shook his head and stared at the table absentmindedly, “I wish I could go back to a simpler time.”

“I get that. I’d do anything to be back home with my sister.” Kouki smiled, but it looked pained.

“Your sister?” Haru looked up, eager to have something else consume his thoughts even for a short bit.

“Yeah! She was an Ultimate, like me. The Ultimate Sketch Artist. I guess you could say art runs in the family.” Kouki’s smile became more genuine as the thoughts drifted into her mind.

“Sketch Artist... Like forensics?” Haru brought a finger to his lip.

“Yeah, she was really good at it, too. Oh, well, she must’ve been. She was an Ultimate after all...” Kouki giggled a bit, “She always got so serious about it, though. In my opinion, art should be fun. Do you have fun with your music, Haru?”

“Of course. I think your sister must have had fun too, though. Else she wouldn’t keep doing it.” Haru watched as Kouki nodded at his words.

“That makes sense. Yeah, it really does! Hey, how about you Haru?” Kouki was full-on grinning now. “Do you have any siblings?”

“Oh, I... I guess so. I had a half-sister, but I never met her. She... Ah, she died before I was born.” Haru hung his head a little at that, but not because he was sad per se. Rather, a memory flashed through his mind.

He was staring at a picture frame. It was a picture of a young girl with reddish blonde hair. She was smiling, holding up some kind of award given to her at a school event. Hearing the sound of footsteps, Haru turned to see his mother.

“She really was a wonderful girl. It disappoints me to this day that you never could meet her, Haru.” The woman ran her fingers through her own blonde hair, “Azumi had potential that could have served our family well but... above all, she was my daughter.”

“I thought you said she was... difficult.” Haru questioned, his young voice echoing through the shabby halls of the rickety home.

“Ahaha... She had a way with words, definitely. Despite being young, she was certainly not an easy one to pin down.” She smiled sheepishly, but behind her smile was a world of hurt and pain. As Haru looked upon his mother he saw her hidden emotions and he desperately wished that he could understand. That he knew Azumi so he could share in that pain.

Haru looked back at the picture. She really was a mirror image of her mother, “If she were here... Would we be living like this?”

“I don’t know, Haru. I really don’t.” His mother sighed, “But I do know that we have to keep moving. I know it’s hard, Haru. You don’t know anything about the world other than this old place and I wish I could change that.”

...

The whole reminiscence only took a handful of seconds before Haru looked back into Kouki’s large brown eyes. “I never knew her, but I was told she was wonderful. And we had a picture of her. She... She looked just like mother.”

“I see... You must really feel alone in this world, Haru.” Kouki placed a hand on his shoulder, “I can’t imagine what it must’ve been like, growing up like that.”

“You know how Mei asked why she would have better luck than me specifically?” Haru blinked, his mind beginning to work faster.

“Yudai called you out on it.” Kouki added, “Do you actually know why?”

“No, I was telling the truth before. But I really just find it so strange... Why is she so interested in me? You’ve seen it, right? That strange expression when she’s staring at me? It’s like she’s evaluating me and feeling pity for me at the same time. I don’t like it.” Haru shuddered, the face of Yukari in his mind.

“I’m sorry, I haven’t been paying too much attention to her. Actually, quite the opposite. I’ve been trying to ignore her. As far as suspects go, she’s simultaneously the most and least suspicious at the same time.” Kouki shook her head, “Everyone else seems to be relatively normal, but then... She knew Monokuma, she’s pulled weapons from thin air, she has that smoke...”

“She definitely know something about our situation, too.” Haru added, recalling how she seemed to already know what was lying in wait. “But how..? I don’t even remember getting here. Much less anything about this crazy situation. Except... That Monokuma feels a little familiar.”

“Well, that red eye of his is in the Hope’s Peak Academy symbol. Think that means anything?” Kouki pointed out. “See, look.”

The artist pulled out a sketchbook and some paints. With her finger, she quickly drew a likeness of the emblem of Hope’s Peak. Then she painted Monokuma’s face. Both were done well and with haste. Haru could easily see the resemblance, “Does that mean that Hope’s Peak is behind this? No, that can’t be right. We were there for so long... Three years for me.”

“Yeah, me too. The last year. But y’know, some of the other people here were in lower classes.” Kouki grabbed another paper to wipe off her finger, the red paint slightly staining her skin. “Why does this have to be so confusing? I have no idea what could be linking the sixteen of us. Ami is the only one who even has a theory! But she... Well, I wouldn’t be surprised if she wasn’t interested in working with us for a while.”

“I didn’t think she would be so sensitive... Shigeru didn’t either. But it still stands that she was hurt because of it.” Haru shook his head, “Imagine if you were accused of being a murderer simply because of a label.”

“Yeah... My talent is harmless. Yours too. And yet, we have a bodyguard, a ninja, a hypnotist...” Kouki began to go through the students in her head, “But the scariest of all is still probably Yukari. A psychoanalyst who know exactly what we’re thinking... And what we’re not thinking, too.”

“We just have to keep our eyes out. We’ll find a way out before people get too desperate. I’m certain of it.” Haru said, but he didn’t quite believe his own words. Ami’s reaction and Nori’s disposition seemed that the others could be deteriorating at a rate faster than he expected.

“It’ll be okay, Haru. I think the same thing. I really do. Maybe we can do something with that supposed elevator even if it really does only go down. Or maybe we can brute force our way out. There’s a way. There always is.” Kouki gave him a confident smile and Haru wondered just how much of it was forced. “For now, let’s rest and think on it. Come on.”

Grabbing him by the hand, Kouki led Haru into the hallway and stopped just outside the dorms, “Don’t lose hope just yet, okay?” And with that, she disappeared through the red door.

Haru paused for a moment after Kouki left. He knew what he wanted to do, but he was hesitant. After a couple minutes passed, he approached the same red door Kouki had gone through and turned the handle.

Nobody was in the hallway. In fact, Haru wasn’t sure who was where exactly. All he knew was that the person he was looking for was most certainly in her dorm. He scanned the doors until he found what he was looking for. 

The symbol that adorned that door is hard for me to describe. It’s comprised of two arcs connected to what looks similar to an asterisk. Of course, I can tell you that it’s the symbol of Kiriganai Academy. Now, Haru didn’t know what. He’d only seen the symbol on the shirt of the person he was looking for.

Haru took a deep breath and knocked on the door branded with the Kiriganai insignia. It took a few moments but eventually the door opened just a crack and from within came the voice of the Ultimate Hypnotist, Ami Yumekuu. “Who’s... there?”

“Ami... I wanted to know if you wanted to talk. Er, just talk. About anything really.” Haru couldn’t help the awkwardness creep in as he realised that he didn’t really have a strategy to cheer her up.

“Haru?” Ami paused for a moment and then opened the door wider, “Please. Come in.”

Haru did as he was told and paused to take in the room. It was stark white. The walls, the floors, the bed, the dressers. It looked rather homey, aside from the lack of color and on one of the walls, a large pendulum, swinging in time with the passing seconds. “I can pretend it’s just a clock, that pendulum.” Ami’s voice felt distant, as if she were speaking from far off.

Haru heard the squeak of spring as Ami sat down on the bed, “Are you okay, Ami?”

“You came because of what happened earlier... Right?” Ami lowered her head, her bangs hanging over more of her face as she did. “That was my fault. I got defensive and I- Well, I hope Shigeru doesn’t think poorly of me because of it. I honestly don’t know which is worse, being seen as a threat or as a weak-willed individual.”

“But Shigeru came after you, didn’t he?” Haru cocked his head, but Ami didn’t react, continuing to stare at the ground, “After you ran away, he followed you. He seemed to feel really bad.”

“Yes, he came. But I didn’t let him in. How could I?” Ami grabbed her ponytail and brought it in front of her, like a security blanket, “How could I face him after that? How can I face anyone?”

“You’re doing it right now, aren’t you?” Haru bit his lip, unsure if Ami was subtly implying something about him, but he tried to keep his voice as comforting as possible.

“Heh. I suppose I am. You don’t understand what it’s like... Being suspected the moment someone learns of your identity. You don’t know the fear that comes with a job like mine. Every move I make is a risk. Every word I say...” Ami trailed off into thought before muttering absentmindedly, “Some people are unhappy because they don’t have a talent. Others are unhappy with the talent they have. And some people... Some people just wish they didn’t have one at all.”

“Ami... You obviously don’t like your talent, so how did you get it?” Haru said in an attempt to change the subject inconspicuously. 

“Ah. Yes. When I was younger, in primary school, I had a friend. We were interested in the occult and silly things like that. So one day, we tried hypnotism... And it worked. I didn’t expect it, of course because, deep down, I knew that what I was seeking at the time couldn’t be real. I panicked at first, but afterward, my friend thought it was the coolest thing ever.” Ami suddenly sighed very loudly, “I kept it up, unaware of the fate I was weaving, the curse I was placing on myself.”

“What happened to your friend?” Haru hesitated to ask, but his curiosity won out.

Ami opened her mouth but no sound came out. She placed a hand to her lips and managed, “She died. She was killed by an unknown serial killer. They don’t even have a name.”

“Wh...What?” Haru swallowed hard, all sense of self-restraint gone, “How long ago?”

“Ah, it was only three years ago... Three years ago I... I saw her dead. I...” Ami grabbed her head and, despite being planted on her bed, swayed a bit, “I feel so sick thinking about it. I-I... I... Her throat was slit and her eyes... Her eyes were...”

Ami was shaking so bad that she couldn’t complete her thought, but Haru had an idea of where she was going. He sat down next to her, placed a hand on her back, and smiled softly, “You’re not there anymore. Hey, this place might not be the safest, but this serial killer isn’t here. You can relax.”

“You didn’t see it, Haru... You didn’t see it. Do you know why I grew my bangs out like this?” She turned to look at Haru. “Because I was scared. I saw what that monster did to her eyes and... since then... I’ve been scared. Scared of waking up and seeing that carnage.” 

Haru could see sweat rolling down Ami’s face and her hands, clenched into fists, had gone white. “It’s going to be okay, Ami. It’s going to be okay.” At this, she collapsed backward, to stare at the ceiling.

“Haru... I know. All I have to do is keep telling myself I’m alright. As long as the pendulum swings... I have no choice but to believe it.” Her lips curled into a soft smile, “Your tone betrays your emotions, though... You’re so easy to read... It’s kind of refreshing.”

“Just how am I supposed to take that?” Haru frowned, watching the rise and fall of Ami’s chest as it slowed to a more normal pace. “It sounds kinda creepy when you say it that way.”

“No, no... It’s not a bad thing. At least not to me. No matter what though...” Ami paused to collect her thoughts and silence filled the room, the only movement the gentle swinging of the pendulum, “You mustn’t give up. Keep moving forward. Always. Even if you have to leave people behind, don’t second guess yourself.”

Her words had a softer tone now and Haru got the feeling that Ami wasn’t just telling this to him. This encouragement was for her, as well. “What about you, Ami?”

“If you end up leaving me behind, don’t ever look back.” Ami brought her hands to her chest. “Ah... All of a sudden, I’m very tired... It must be fatigue from finally letting all of that sorrow go... Please excuse me...”

“I’m so... sleepy...”

Ami’s voice went silent and Haru sat, frozen for a moment. Her breathing grew deeper. It seemed that she had, indeed, fallen asleep. Unsure what to do, he stood up. Carefully, he draped her blanket over her and, satisfied that she was okay, let himself out of the room.

As he entered the hallway, he wondered what time it was. Yet, after seeing Ami pass out, he felt quite tired himself. To remedy that, he made his way toward the hallway to eventually go to his own room.

The facility was eerily silent as the students went about their lives. If only this moment could’ve lasted forever, it would’ve been better than what was to come. However, the person behind the curtain could only wait so long before their patience would run out.

As Kanna paced around the Dining Hall, (for they’d settled on a name for it) he heard a strange sound fill the air.

Ding dong. Bing bong.

Kanna had heard this sound a few times before. That Monokuma thing had been using it to distinguish between night and day. However... No, it was far too early to be nighttime, so Kanna listened as the disembodied alien voice echoed through the room, “Hello, everybody! I would like you each to gather in the Auditorium! Emergency! Emergency!”

The noise went quiet for a bit before, “...Wait, was that part supposed to come before?” and the silence resumed. Kanna frowned. He actually hadn’t been back to that large room since they’d arrived. In fact, he was the only one. It had just been recently that he’d made it to the Dining Hall in his investigation, so when Monokuma mentioned ‘Auditorium’, he was momentarily confused before realising what he meant.

Shrugging, Kanna went through the door that connected the Dining Hall and the Auditorium, the change in air pressure blowing his cape back a bit. He paused. The room was full of chairs now and there was a stage complete with a podium and a large screen.

This must’ve happened in the time between the student’s leaving and exploring. It would be a quick job, but not impossible. Especially since Monokuma seemed to have spares. Multiples would make it much easier.

Kanna, being the closest one to the Auditorium, arrived first, though this wasn’t surprising to him. He was used to it. He took a seat in one of the chairs, but not before inspecting it first to ensure that it wasn’t somehow trapped. He doubted that Monokuma would try to kill them outright, but not all traps are immediately deadly.

A steady trickle of students arrived, with Yukari at the back, until all sixteen were in the room and once Yukari had taken her seat, the lights went dark aside from a spotlight at the podium.

“Th-This doesn’t really feel like an emergency...” Shohei muttered to Yamato, who he was sitting next to. There were many, many seats in the room and yet the students had chosen to cluster. Even Yukari sat among them, albeit on the edge.

Yamato opened his mouth to respond, but Monokuma’s voice cut him off, “I’m sooo glad you all could join me! You see, I’ve been having a bit of an emergency. Nobody has killed anyone and the stall is killing me!”

“Of course no ones killed anyone.” Kanna said, his voice loud enough to reach the corners of the room, “We’re too busy looking for a way out.”

“Kero?” Keroko’s question fell on deaf ears as the two people who could understand her were seemingly uninterested. With a sigh, she slunk back into her chair. She had meant to ask if Monokuma’s ‘emergency’ was truly an emergency but, as it was, she couldn’t communicate.

“Perhaps this is a rude question. Monokuma, is this a waste of time?” Mei tilted her head and stood up, ready to leave.

“No, no, no! See, what you guys are missing is an incentive. Because clearly the promise of escape is not appealing enough. There are four types of ways to teach obedience, you know...” Monokuma’s face suddenly appeared on the large screen, in real-time with him.

“Are you talking about conditioning?” Marise folded her arms, “Operant conditioning? Positive and negative reinforcement as well as positive and negative punishment?”

“I’ve never heard of this before.” Kouki looked at Marise, “What is that?”

“Ah, it’s so simple even a loser like you could get it. Positive reinforcement is giving your creature something they want. Like a cookie for doing something good. Negative punishment? Removing something that the creature doesn’t like. Sorta like removing white noise that might be bothersome. Positive punishment is giving something in, well, punishment. Like whipping said creature. Negative punishment is taking away something that creature likes. Y’know, like that earlier cookie.” Marise seemed proud of herself after that explanation, “See? A whackjob like you could figure it out.”

Kouki didn’t respond, but Monokuma began to clap, “Yes, yes! Wonderful explanation. Now if my incentive follows these rules... Well, you could call this one positive punishment! Puhuhuhu! Mei, you’re already standing, aren’t you? Come here to the front of the room.”

“You probably shouldn’t do that...” Yukari’s voice trailed off into thin air as Mei nodded and set for the stage.

Once the ninja was there, whatever camera there was focused on her as Monokuma took out a spray can, shooting out some gas straight in Mei’s face, who recoiled, spitting. “Aha! Now let’s see what it does.”

“H-Hey, wait!” Niseko cried out, “Are you even allowed to do this?”

“Well, it’s not gonna kill her if that’s what you’re asking-” Monokuma was cut off by a startled yelp from Mei who fell backward.

The ninja kicked her leg out, her eyes wide in fear. After a moment of silence, she drew her black blade and stabbed into the ground in front of her, whimpering. The scene was so disconcerting, Shigeru had to shut his eyes.

“Madness...” Rikuto growled from beside him. Whatever was wrong with Mei, it had stripped her of her normal stoic demeanor. He watched, fixed on Mei’s eyes. They were slightly glazed over and yet full of terror. “Cease this!”

Monokuma turned toward Rikuto, a paw to his muzzle, “Is this not entertaining for you?”

“Humiliation? How on earth could you call that entertaining? It’s terrible!” Amari got to her feet and took off running for the stage. Once there, she ducked under Mei’s wild swings and grabbed her sword arm and placed her other hand over the wakizashi so the flailing girl couldn’t draw it. Then she lifted Mei off the ground, restraining her. “How long is this going to last, Monokuma?”

“Well, the periods last two hours, so probably one. Upupupu...” Monokuma’s laugh was quiet but frightening. “Oh, but I’m getting ahead of myself. What you’re seeing is the result of a special manufactured gas. It doesn’t have an official name, so we’ll just call it, erm, Monogas. Yes. It causes hallucinations and I plan to release some through the whole facility every other hour. But fear not, there are two escapes! One is simply to kill. The other? Well, I have brought along oxygen masks! If you put them on, you will be protected from the Monogas.”

The room was quiet aside from Mei’s continued yelling. So Monokuma continued, “Oops but... It looks like I didn’t fill all of them completely. It seems that after one period, one of the masks will run out and you’ll be subjected to the Monogas and end up like poor Mei Meiyo... You know, I feel like I’ve seen the trope of swordswoman with an alliterative name before...”

Rikuto and Ami had both run up as well by now with the latter speaking up while Rikuto grabbed Mei’s legs to completely restrain her, “What do we do with her, tie her up!?” Ami was breathing heavily, but it seemed like she had recovered from her earlier fatigue, “We can’t keep her down for a full hour, can we?”

“Oh, boo. You guys are really no fun. But I suppose Mei was just an example. So, Miss Meiyo,” Monokuma climbed up onto Rikuto’s shoulders like Niseko often did and pulled out another spray can, spraying her once more. Nearly immediately, her struggling slowed and she went limp. Amari, who’d inhaled some of it, felt no different, so assumed that Mei had simply exerted a lot of energy.

“Your masks are in the hallway, but there’s no need to hurry. The motive will officially be in place tomorrow, an hour after the morning announcements.” The screen went dark and Monokuma waddled behind the podium, vanishing from sight.

“Rikuto, let’s bring Mei to her room. I know which one it is.” Amari nodded to him and he returned the gesture, carrying Mei out of the room.

Once they were gone, Ami slid her shoe around the floor until it caught in the hole Mei had stabbed, “How are we going to get out of this one. It’s unpredictable and has disastrous effects. Just in her rampage there, Mei could’ve hurt someone!”

“Well, I would suggest your plan of tying her up, but it’s not her.” Yamato squinted and removed his glasses to clean them, “So we find out who’s got less oxygen and tie them up. Just my suggestion.”

“Kero. Kero, kero. Ro keroro.” Kero shared her thoughts and then desperately looked at Yukari.

The psychoanalyst had been absentmindedly staring at the stage but she took notice of Keroko’s gaze, “Oh! Yes. Keroko here wants to suggest that we check all of the masks before anything else.”

Keroko nodded as Yukari said it, confirming that Yukari had translated accurately, “Now... My suggestion is as follows; Why we determine what our hallucinations are and prepare for the worst ones to kill!”

“You’d subject us all to that insanity?” Yamato interjected, placing his glasses back on his face and blinking a couple of times, “I see you’ve not changed these past few days.”

“Well, well... I think the solution is piecework of all of the above. We should inspect the masks and we should also take care as to who’s the most likely to be hit the hardest and also the most dangerous.” Shigeru raised a finger, “Like Ami said, Mei could’ve easily harmed someone and she doesn’t seem willing to part with her blades.”

“We should also check-up with our good friend to see what exactly happened to her.” Kanna added, “Her input is invaluable. Although, flooding her room isn’t optimal.”

“Let me go.” Ami raised her hand, walking back to the group. “Hijacking of the mind... It’s kinda my thing.”

“I want to go, too. Not because I’ll be especially helpful, but...” Haru looked down, “I want to know if she’s okay.”

He glanced at Ami while Kanna nodded, “Yes, alright. While you’re there, can you send Rikuto to me? I would like his help with the masks. Ah, you too, Yudai, for obvious reasons.

“Will do.” Haru nodded and glanced at Ami, who was already heading for the door.

The hypnotist led him through the Meeting Room into the hallway and through the red door until eventually, they stood in front of a door with a rose symbol. Haru knocked and was soon greeted by Amari. “Oh, hello. I imagined someone would be coming eventually.”

“Is she alright?” Ami cocked her head and Amari motioned for the two to enter. Rikuto sat by the bed, his large figure motionless even as Ami and Haru approached. Ami stood over Mei, who was laying in her bed. Her katana had been propped on the wall and her wakizashi laid on a nearby table.

The room itself was quite similar to Amari’s but with a much more traditional feel. Straw dolls for training were placed around and lining the walls were many blunt training swords, though Haru had no doubt they could be used to bludgeon someone. The room was dark, reminiscent of the night and Haru noticed a hole through one of the dummies’ chest, piercing through some orange smear.

“She’s really out cold. There’s not much I can do if she’s not awake,” Ami placed her hand gingerly on Mei’s chest. “But that’s okay, I can wake her up, too.”

“Can you?” Amari walked over to watch what Ami was about to do. Rikuto’s stare was fixed on Ami’s hand as she brought it to Mei’s cheek.

“Yes, because we can still hear when we sleep. All it takes is a simple command,” Ami took a deep breath and her voice flowed out, smooth as water, “Wake up, Mei.”

Haru could hear the power in Ami’s voice despite the softness. It was almost like a sort of magic was weaved into her words themselves. Mei suddenly inhaled, shuddering as she did, and slowly opened her red eyes. For a moment, all was still until suddenly “..TAKEO!!”

Mei leaped out of her bed in one motion, past Rikuto, onto the ground, one hand down to brace herself. Then she paused, “...Takeo isn’t... My brain feels like... It feels...” She searched for the right word, but it wouldn’t come to her. She stood up, back into a more neutral position, “Where is Takeo?”

“There’s no one name Takeo here,” Rikuto grumbled, turning to look at Mei, but anger burned in her eyes at that statement. Or perhaps it was determination as she stalked right past Rikuto to the table where her gaze settled on the wakizashi.

She picked it up with two hands and bowed slightly, some gesture Haru found odd. Then she unsheathed the blade and examined it. Satisfied, she replaced it back on her hip. Haru then realised something. When she was threatening Marise earlier and when she was fighting Yukari, Mei had primarily used the wakizashi. Yet at that moment, consumed by whatever the Monogas did to her, she had drawn her katana first. “Mei, your wakizashi....”

“It is important. I must never lose it. If I do... Takeo... Well, just as I do not understand your customs, you could not understand mine. But perhaps, in time, if we have longer to spare, I could explain. Not now, though.” Mei slung her katana over her shoulder and then seemed to notice Ami staring at her and returned the gaze. “Yumekuu.”

“Mei. What did you see?” Ami said, very softly. But Haru felt her tone had returned to normal. She was simply concerned and curious.

“My brain is confused. But I saw a fox. A fox that wasn’t there. But a fox. A nogitsune...” Mei’s expression darkened from her usual stoic demeanor.

“For you to react like that to a fox...” Amari's eyes held nothing but compassion. Mei was afraid of foxes. She had to be. But why? “Are you certain you will be alright? Did you hear what Monokuma said about the motive?”

“No, I did not.” Mei grit her teeth, trying to shake away terrifying memories that were clouding her mind.

“He wants us to kill or else eventually we’ll all succumb to that hallucinatory gas.” Haru’s voice was low, nearly a growl, “For now, we’re okay. But not for long.”

“That is unreasonable.” Mei shook her head, “I remember... The fox. And a feeling of fear because of the fox. An urge to kill the fox... I could have easily killed someone in place of the fox.”

The conversation stopped for a moment before Haru turned to Rikuto, “Right, Kanna wanted to see you. Something about the masks.”

“Very well.” Rikuto dipped his head and made his way out of the room, leaving just Haru, Amari, Ami, and Mei.

Haru looked between the three girls before resting his gaze on Ami. She was clutching her fist tightly, he noticed, but her face seemed as relaxed as ever. "Ami, is everything okay?" As he spoke, the tension was released and she sighed.

"Do you ever get scared of what you could be capable of?" Ami shook her head, her messy bangs shifting as awkwardly as ever. "You've heard of Alien Hand Syndrome, haven't you?"

"Well, yes. I've heard of it. But I'm not familiar with the details." Haru looked at Amari as if she could rescue him, but she was curiously watching Ami, as if she were fascinated by this concept. "Alright, uh, maybe explain it a little."

"Imagine you're getting ready for school and you go to open the clothing drawer. You start to reach in, but the drawer closes. You try to button up your shirt and, this time, you see your other hand unbuttoning it, without your control. Something like that... Where your arm is acting independently of you. That's Alien Hand Syndrome. It's not always oppositional, of course. Those are just the most capturing examples." Ami raised her own hand, "But it always has a task. Not just twitches or spasms... No, the hand wants something that you are unaware of. Sometimes in rare cases... That want is the death of the owner."

"That's... That's not real, right?" Haru frowned, staring desperately at Ami.

"I'm not a storyteller, Haru. Sometimes it's just a reach or a grab. Maybe a touch... A stroke of the face. Or maybe it could be frantic clawing or choking. The idea that your own limb may act as though it is not your own... It's very frightening." Ami continued staring at her hand as she talked as though it might start displaying odd symptoms, "It's all scientific, though. A rare affliction, but identifiable. Perhaps the person was victim to trauma or a stroke or a tumor. Whatever the case, the brain was affected and is now acting erratically."

"You haven't stopped staring at your own hand. You aren't suffering this strange condition are you?" Amari folded her arms.

"Oh, no. No, nothing like that. I could easily simulate it though. It would be so easy. It would..." Ami's head suddenly dropped, "See, this is why people don't like me. Because I do things like this."

"Hey, hey. What did we talk about earlier, Ami?" Haru was aware of Amari raising an eyebrow as he said it, but he fixed his gaze on Ami, grabbing her arm.

She sighed, "I know. I'm sorry. I'm off-topic anyway. What I was going to do was connect it to this thing Monokuma has threatened us with. Mei expressed her lack of control while under the effects... Actually... Well, why did you ask her about her wakizashi, Haru?"

"Because it was strange that she used it for everything except that display on the stage. In fighting Yukari and threatening Marise, she used it." Haru answered, recalling both events.

"Yes, and when she was questioning Shohei, she used it as well. Do you think perhaps the Monogas brought her mind to an event where she did not have the wakizashi and only had the katana? So her gut instinct was to reach for the only weapon she knew she had." Ami raised a finger. "Just so I don't lose you, or myself, the lack of control is reminiscent of Alien Hand Syndrome. Mei had a purpose in what she was doing, but couldn't control it. Yet, now I bring in the factor with her past."

"You're saying that this fox was part of a traumatic event and seeing it brought Mei back to that event? A period in time where she did not have her wakizashi..." Amari frowned, "But there's no way to know if everyone is affected equally."

"Which brings me back to Alien Hand Syndrome. The core of this gas is exploiting a lack of control. I think we can use this to come up with some tactics to ease this situation." Ami turned toward Haru, "And... I wonder if I can override the symptoms of the gas with hypnotism. It all depends on how conscious the victim is. I was able to wake Mei up, but that was after she was relieved from the gas... Agh, all of this requires testing. We don't have that luxury."

"So then, it's a last resort. We have to hope that whatever Kanna, Yudai, and Rikuto figure out is enough and, if we need it, we resort to these psychological methods." Amari said, continually nodding.

"This is such a soft line of defense." Ami murmured, "But it's hard to prepare for an unpredictable event."

"We have to do our best," Amari responded and Haru muttered his agreement. Psychological or not, it seemed like the skills they had was their best bet. But Haru couldn't help but wonder, should Yukari help, how much easier would the impossible task become?

\---

"So, these are them," Kanna said as he approached a row of small masks. They were the kind that covers your nose and mouth, but nothing else. Some of the other students had been too shocked to follow, others didn't care enough. With Kanna was Yudai, of course, as well as Shohei, Niseko, and Keroko.

"Th-that would seem to be the case," Shohei's voice wavered as he picked up one of the masks, "There's a small device but... How is it going to sustain us f-for anymore than a minute?"

"Perhaps it's more of a filter than a tank," Yudai answered, his arms crossed. "Although that leaves the question, how can Monokuma accurately predict when each mask will break so as to stagger them each two hours apart?"

"That's not possible." Niseko shook her head, "I know you probably know this too, Yudai, but in crafting something, there's no way to know just when something will break."

"Was that Setsuka speaking to me?" Yudai turned to eye the small doll, but she just looked back, almost nervously.

"M-Maybe the filter is electronic, set to stop working a-after a certain amount of time... Is that p-possible?" Shohei flipped the mask over in his hands. "Th-that might mean it's working right n-now..."

"That plausible," Kanna picked up a mask for himself, looking right into the black device. There seemed to be small holes in them, but no indication as to how it worked. "Hmm, it's very light, don't you think?"

"Kero!" The frog girl exclaimed, jumping on top of the lockers. They were only about half the height of a person and the tiny girl had no problem reaching the top. Once there, she grabbed one of the masks and affixed it to her face.

"A-Ah! W-Wait-" Shohei couldn't bring himself to finish his sentence. Keroko tapped the mask, now over her nose and mouth, and waited.

She could still breathe just fine, she found and saw her breath fog up the mask with each exhale. It was strange to her that the mask would function in such a way despite having no nose or mouthpiece. If not for the pressure applied to her face, she might forget that she was wearing it at all. "Kero kero."

Her voice was, of course, muffled which to Shohei, put him at ease a little. Seeing that, despite the strange system of generating oxygen, it still had limitations made it less intimidating to him and for the most part, Keroko looked fine. She didn't seem to be having any trouble. "M-Maybe you should take it off. Who knows j-just what factors play into it not working..."

Keroko nodded and removed the mask, setting it down. Heavy footsteps diverted her attention and she turned to see Rikuto.

"Hello, Rikuto!" Niseko greeted, waving her hand. She beckoned him over and scaled up to his shoulders once again.

The welder picked up one of the masks silently and immediately began to inspect the device as Kanna spoke, "Well, that was quite quick. We're a bit puzzled, honestly. We don't know how it works nor how Monokuma intends to control it."

"It's not a bluff." Rikuto said after fiddling with the device, "This mask filters the air. The air coming out is clean. I do not understand, however. It seems to be empty."

"Empty? Like, the black part?" Niseko brought her hand to her chin, "But if that's the case, how is it cleaner?"

"Actually, I h-have a question. If you d-don't mind." Shohei looked up at Niseko who was looking back at him. "You... You d-don't breathe, do you? Is this even g-going to affect you?"

"Oh... You can count the masks... There are only fifteen." Niseko motioned toward them. "After Monokuma left the stage, he approached me, as in Setsuka, and made me choose one then and there. I'm a little worried about how that'll translate to me, Niseko, though..."

"Wherever you are... You'll be gassed, too." Kanna pondered that for a moment.

"I'm in this shelter. I just don't know where." Niseko looked around at the ceiling. "Well, actually, with what we know, I'm probably lower."

As Niseko looked around sheepishly, Rikuto kept his eyes trained on her. It was all too strange to him. Sixteen captives and someone, perhaps an organisation, had to be behind it. But here was someone who wasn't physically present. "If you die, does Setsuka die?"

"Ahahahahahahaha!" Even if Niseko would've responded, her voice would've fallen on deaf ears as familiar piercing laughter reverberated through the hallway. Kanna turned around to where it was coming from and narrowed his eyes at Monokuma. "I think you all need to start thinking of darling Niseko here as a voodoo doll!"

"Kero?" Keroko's gaze shifted from Niseko to Monokuma, "Kero kero."

He had been silent since Rikuto had joined, so when Yudai spoke, it nearly startled the herpetologist, "Are you implying that if Niseko gets hurt, Setsuka will share in her pain?" Of course, this was essentially what Keroko had asked, so she was glad for the unintentional translation.

"Yup! If you kill Niseko, it totally counts and I'll make sure Setsuka shares the same fate." Monokuma cried out with glee. "Of course, I don't imagine you have particularly strong feelings either way, do you, Setsuka?"

Niseko's eyes shut and opened her mouth. When she spoke, her tone was entirely different, "This is directly from me to you, Monokuma. I will not die before I escape this room you've trapped me in. Eeheehee... I'll consider it a challenge..."

Keroko froze. This was what she was familiar with. This was the Setsuka she had known. Likewise, Yudai folded his arms, observing the shift from Niseko to Setsuka. Monokuma's grin widened, "Perfect. That'll spice things up, won't it?"

Niseko shook her head, "Master doesn't want to die. She dies if I die. So I can't die. I may just be a doll, but I share a fate with someone who needs to live." She was back to Niseko and she clasped her hands together.

I realise now that Setsuka's control, her mastery over the persona of Niseko, was a tribute to her talent because, much like Yudai, her talent extended into the realm of metaphorical meaning. What is a doll but an avatar of a human? And since Niseko was created in Setsuka's image... Well, do you understand now?

"I wish you the worst of luck, M-, Ah, I forgot. That's a secret, isn't it? Puhuhu!" Monokuma laughed, but before Niseko could respond, he vanished into the floor. The doll fidgeted nervously. She knew what he was going to say but she didn't know how the plush animal knew it. She was aware of the stares and turned to face the rest of the group.

She brought her finger to her lip and opened her mouth, unsure of what to say. Finally, "Well, I guess you all just met Setsuka, huh?"

"Setsuka, why do you hide your name?" Yudai was the one to cut to the chase, "Hiding just under the surface in the guise of the doll is one thing, but we have never known your name, have we?"

"No, no." Niseko laughed a bit nervously, "Just Setsuka. There's no real reason she's hiding her name, but she just doesn't want people to know. Maybe she doesn't want it. Maybe it has bad memories. Maybe it's just a silly name. Who knows?"

"Y-You?" Shohei bit his lip in an attempt to stop his jaw from shaking.

"No way. It's not important anyway. He's just trying to get us to suspect each other. Maybe if you meet Setsuka in person, she'll tell you the reason." Niseko looked down, "But for now, I'm Niseko, not Setsuka. And I'm not at liberty to share that information."

"K-Kero." The frog girl had been eerily still since she heard Setsuka. She didn't like Setsuka. In class... Well, because of her nature, Keroko had been bullied a lot and Setsuka wasn't one to treat anyone like a respectable human, much less Keroko. As long as the doll maker was hiding behind the doll, it was fine. But that moment proved that Setsuka was always still there, hiding.

Keroko sadly turned and hopped toward the red door, having to jump to wrap her hands around the door handle, and she disappeared into the hallway. No one bothered to try and stop her as it was obvious that she was uncomfortable and instead they directed their attention back to Niseko.

That is until Rikuto finally turned back toward the masks. "We all will choose one. But we must devise a way to learn their approximate lifespans... This will prove difficult." He picked up another and began to compare it to the one he'd already been holding but eventually let out a grunt of annoyance. He couldn't see any difference. He couldn't even tell how the masks functioned.

Yudai shook his head, "It seems almost supernatural. As Rikuto said, it appears as if the filter is merely a pocket of air. As such, I must wonder, will the bubble be so easily popped? Perchance the bear can manipulate it if it were supernatural."

"You're k-kidding, right? There's nothing supernatural a-about it." Shohei shook his quivering head. "It's l-like Nori's been saying. Magic isn't real."

"Maybe not magic, but we have seen Yukari do some crazy things." Kanna tilted his head, "I don't want to go the easy route and say she's behind this, because I don't think she is. But maybe whatever Yukari is doing, Monokuma can do, too."

"It's not outside the sea of possibility." Yudai agreed, "I also do not believe Yukari to be the shark. It seems as though she's treating the bear's 'game' as an opportunity to play her own game. Yet, she also is versed in the art of psychology. Our thoughts must remain fluid or she will end up playing us quite easily."

"Shark, huh?" Niseko looked down, "I think even a shark would be kinder than this..."

"The one behind the curtain. The one pulling the strings..." Kanna breathed.

"Kyahaha! Do you mean the 'mastermind', love?"

\---

Haru rubbed his eyes, yawning. No, now was not the time to get tired. When all was said and done, the investigation of the masks and Mei's episode had revealed next to nothing. Yukari had brought them together with her ceaseless chatter on whatever the mastermind was and eventually was overpowered by the pooling of information from both parties. Yet, in the end, it was all for naught. However, there was still time left before the evening announcement would play. He still had time to try and figure something out.

Perhaps he thought it may be best to go visit Mei again and he made his way, almost autonomically, to the red hallway. He looked at all of the door symbols before he remembered which one Ami had led him through. His heart was racing, Haru realised, and he took a deep breath, unsure as to why he was so nervous, before knocking.

The door opened, Mei standing beyond it, curiously looking at Haru in the eye. "Tanioto. Welcome." The ninja bowed and made way for Haru to enter. "Why have you come here?"

"Well, I thought maybe we could talk more about earlier," Haru said, a bit quieter than he meant.

"Have we not exhausted that topic already?" Mei frowned, "What is the point in repeating myself?"

"Well, there has to be something we're missing, right? Why did you see a fox when Monokuma gassed you? Is there a reason for that?" Haru nervously looked around before resting his gaze on Mei's bed. Mei's room seemed to contrast Ami as most of the room was black. There was some white but as a whole, the room was quite dark.

"Ah. It is as I said. A feeling of fear accompanied the fox." Mei folded her arms and looked off to the side.

"Do you have a, uh, fox phobia? I'm sure there's a word for it, but-"

"Phobia?" Mei cocked her head while cutting Haru off. She placed her hand on her chest like she had many times before and again paused before letting out a small sigh, "What is a phobia?"

"Oh, it's a fear. Usually unrealistic. There's one for everything and some of them have specific names. Like arachnophobia, the fear of spiders." Haru explained, "I'm sure a fox phobia has a name-"

"Nogitsunephobia." Mei nodded, "I do not care if the proper name is different. I am afraid of foxes. Tanioto, do you know what it feels like to watch someone disappear in front of you? Not die... Leave someone knowing they have no chance of survival..."

"What do you mean..? I know people who have died, of course. My mother... Well, she's dead. But I didn't leave her... She left me." Haru watched Mei's intense gaze soften a bit before she blinked.

"No, this is different. I had a brother... No, two. But this one specifically. He was younger than me and when we were both children, a fox attacked. Takeo was brave and he helped me escape. But we both knew... Takeo would die there." Mei frowned, the memory obviously painful.

"Takeo. I recognise that name. You said it when you woke up. You were looking for him, I think." Haru recalled that incident. Rikuto had mostly handled it, but Haru still found it odd.

"I said you would not understand my customs but perhaps I can still try my best to explain." Mei beckoned and led Haru to a table. She drew her katana and placed it down, "The steel of this blade is black, the trim is red."

"Yeah? I can see that." Haru scrutinised the blade, looking for some hidden meaning.

"My hair is black and my eyes are red. Now," Mei similarly drew her wakizashi and placed it next to the katana, "Takeo had white hair and golden eyes... My family crafted swords and when we do, we choose a weapon. From then on, we are one with it. Takeo's spirit lives on in his blade and so I must carry it wherever I go."

"There's something beautiful about that," Haru murmured, "I noticed that you mostly fight with the wakizashi. With Takeo. Is that because... you want him by your side?"

"You truly understand? I... I have never met someone like you before." Mei looked away. The silence extended for a moment, but it was a welcome respite. "Tanioto... You said you would use your instrument."

"Ah, I suppose I did say that, didn't I." Haru smiled softly, "Oh, but my cello is in my room. We'll have to go there."

"That is okay. I am curious about what your room looks like. What does a cellist room contain? More instruments?" Mei placed a finger on her lip, "Are there any swords?"

"Uh, well... No. I don't come across swords very often. And by that, I mean at all. You're the first swordswoman I've met." Haru admitted but Mei was already walking out the door.

Haru followed the ninja all the way to the blue hallway where she looked at the doors for a moment before standing in front of one. The emblem was a symbol that almost resembled an oni or a demon. This was the crest of Yakyoku College Prep High School, which sounds much more prestigious than it actually is. Haru couldn't help but be impressed, "How did you know this was my room?"

"This symbol was on the strap of your case," Mei said, turning back to look at him. It was true but Haru was not carrying his case. In fact, he'd stowed away his cello in his room as soon as he'd found it. Mei had to be remembering from when they'd met and that impressed Haru. "Will you open the door?"

"You know you can call me Haru, right?" He said as he unlocked the door and pushed it open. Haru's room was full of warm colors. There was a bookshelf filled with a plethora of sheet music and an old-timey record player in another corner. What looked like a miniature stage was sectioned off near the back, with a seat and a music stand and a steady ticking sound filled the air. "I thought I turned that off."

Haru moved to a dresser near the bed and fiddled with a metronome, eventually stopping the noise. He then picked up his case, which was lying nearby. Haru was aware of Mei walking around, inspecting everything his room had to offer. She plucked out one of the books and squinted before realising she had no idea what the lines and dots and fancy words meant. When Haru pulled out the bow, Mei turned, "Is that for hitting? It looks weak."

He blinked while tightening the bowstring, "No, you absolutely do not hit people with it. This is the bow and it's how you make the music."

"Bows are for shooting," Mei replied, quite bluntly.

"Well, yes, but this is a different type of bow." Haru picked up the rosin and began to apply it. Mei was now looking at him expectantly, so he began to explain, "The hair of the bow will normally slide across the strings of the cello, so I apply this rosin to make it a little sticky. That way, it grips the strings and makes noise."

"Rosin?" Mei tilted her head, "What is rosin?"

"It is the solid form of something called resin. Resin is a liquid found in plants, but not sap. It sticky, so that transfers to the bow." Haru answered, putting the rosin away. He then pulled out the cello itself and plucked the C string to tune it.

"What are you doing now? How is it making the noise?" Mei shot out her questions rapid-fire. "What determines the kind of noise?"

"I'm tuning it, making sure the right pitch comes out. The sound comes from the vibration of the strings reverberating in the cello itself and the tighter the string, the higher-pitched it is." Haru answered as he went through each string. Finally, he pulled out the endpin and carried his cello to the stage, sitting in the chair.

"Are you not annoyed by my questions?" Mei finally asked, a worried expression in place of her stoic face.

"Not at all. In fact, I like it. It's a little cute, the way you're so new to everything. That childlike wonder you carry..." Haru smiled at her and watched her face go red a bit.

"Wh-" Mei blinked and then shook her head, dislodging a lock of hair as she did. It almost seemed as if it sprung up. When it didn't rest back down Haru frowned and Mei looked at him for a moment before, "Ah!" and frantically patting down her head, combing her fingers through it.

"What's... What happened?" Haru's frown only deepened in confusion as Mei stared at him like a deer caught in the headlights. Suddenly she exhaled as if she'd been keeping in her breath for several minutes and stepped on to the stage with Haru.

"It's not so odd, is it? If I touch you," As she said it, Mei poked Haru's bare forearm, her voice quivering as if she were quite embarrassed, "The hair on your arm rises, does it not?"

"But... Your hair is heavier than my arm hair. That's... I don't know what to say about that." The uncomfortable silence grew before he shook his head, "Well, I'll play for you now. It will sound better if you're in front of me though. This is a piece from 'Cello Concerto No. 1' by Haydn..."

In the end, Haru didn't learn much of anything about the gas. In fact, he'd forgotten all about it. However, he did feel like he understood the enigma that was Mei much better. She was quirky, but an honest girl. After she left, Haru sat in the chair, a warm feeling in his chest from how delighted Mei looked hearing him play. Music being so foreign... Haru couldn't imagine it. Whatever life Mei had led must've been a hard one.

He shook his head, clearing himself of the reverie, and thought. There was one more thing he could think of to try and figure something out, but he didn't like the implications. Nor did he know where she would be.

Haru stood up and began to put his cello away, steeling himself for the conversation to come. It was necessary, he felt, to be able to put together the facts and there was one person he knew that could do that. Once everything was settled, he exited his room and headed to the red hallway. He looked at the doors but... No, he didn't know what he was looking for.

Most students had their school crests on their person at least somewhere and the door without a crest absolutely had to be Yukari's, but he was still stumped. Just as he was about to select a door at random, he heard the door to the bigger hallway open and saw Kouki. "Oh, hey Haru. What's up?"

"I'm, uh, well." He paused awkwardly, "I'm looking for Marise."

"Oh, I see. This is her room." Kouki pointed at a door with an emblem that resembled tally marks. Two full sets, albeit one mirrored. "Um, good luck, though. She's difficult to talk to."

With that, Kouki disappeared into her own room and Haru was left facing the door. The crest was that of a literary school that didn't take itself very seriously. The name of the school, 'And Then Will There Be None? School' proved as much. Haru took a gulp of air and then knocked.

When Marise opened and saw Haru, her face contorted into an expression of incredulity. "What do you want?"

"Purely business." Haru decided to cut to the chase, "You're a mystery novelist, so I want your input on this mystery."

"Ugh. My talent is so stupid. Nothing but work." Marise complained as she disappeared back into her room, leaving the door slightly ajar for Haru to follow, "Why do I have to be the only one here with a talent related to this? Actually, no. That loser Setsuka is literally a puppeteer! She could be behind this."

"I'm not here to accuse you." Haru sighed, "I want you to help me sort out the facts we have. Specifically around Monokuma's motive."

"Ooh, gas. Scary. It doesn't even kill you." Marise snorted. "Lots of mysteries use gas as a cover. Something happens in the gas and when it clears, bam! Someone's dead or missing. That's not the point of this gas, though, is it? Monoloser wants us to kill each other so, uh, hm. Mei got violent, right? Or someone might get scared."

"And kill someone else to prevent themselves from getting gassed?" Haru tapped his chin, "We have no way of knowing who'll get hit first..."

"Ha! It doesn't matter which way it's spun. Mei will obviously be the most suspicious. She's already experienced it and she already has the weapons to back it up." Marise laughed before her mouth rested in a smirk, "Or what? You think she's too pure and innocent, huh? Tell that to when she tried to stab me because she didn't know what a damn teddy bear was."

"I just spoke with her. There's no way she would've actually hurt you." Haru responded quickly.

"Oh yeah? You must be forgetting then. 'I kill bodyguards' or that entire thing about how her job is killing. How Yudai's practically got her on a leash? Or maybe the whole thing is a facade. I bet it hasn't crossed your mind that it all could be an act." Marise folded her arms. "Maybe she's using an act of naivete to assess us. We might be dealing with a malicious killer who wants nothing more than to see our corpses."

"You think she's the mastermind?" Haru exclaimed. That, he could not accept. The Mei he had spoken to was genuine. He knew it.

"No, she's like Yukari. Merely using the setting she's been given. For the person behind it? It's like I said, Setsuka is suspicious." Marise sat down on her bed and, having calmed down, Haru took in his surroundings. The walls were lined with bookshelves. It was almost like he'd entered a library. There was a desk filled with paper and pens with a desk lamp peering over, definitely for writing, and a stack of books sat on the dresser next to Marise's bed. Looking at them, they were all volumes of 'The Fukui Chronicles', Marise's own work. "I assume you've never read one."

"No, I never had enough money to afford books. My former high school library was lacking and Hope's Peak pressured me to practice, not read." Haru admitted, "Lame excuse, I know. I'd like to read them, though. Kouki said they were good."

"I don't care either way." Marise poked the top one, "I never wanted to write them, you know. I used to write drama. Deep and dark, with happy endings. Not this convoluted puzzle crap."

"How did you get into it, then?" Haru circled the bed to look at the top book.

"I just wanted to try something new. That one right there, 'Koriko: The Bronze Emblem', was meant to be a one-shot. But it did really well and my sister said I should stick with it," Marise sighed, "What else could I do? It paid the bills."

"You were poor growing up?" Haru exclaimed, a bit more surprised than he meant it to sound. He quickly shut his gaping mouth when Marise's green glare pierced into him.

"What else do you expect from a child and her older sister trying to make their way in the world?" Marise snapped, "Kotomi had a job, but it's still really hard."

"Your sister? What about your mother or father?" Haru's breath was a bit shaky. He knew that he was treading on thin ice now.

"Who the fuck cares about them!?" Marise's face contorted with anger, "It doesn't matter! It's not like they did anything for me anyway! Kotomi was the only one who cared. So in return? I refuse to care about them."

Haru was stunned into silence. Slowly, the anger faded into sorrow and Marise looked down at the bed, "It really doesn't matter anyway. The past is in the past. It got resolved. I lived with Kotomi."

"I know what it's like to grow up in poverty. I had no choice but to accept Hope's Peak's letter because everything was so hard on my father and I." Haru sighed.

"I don't need your troubles, music loser." Marise spat. She then paused and grabbed the top book before practically throwing it at Haru. He struggled to catch the sudden object and his hands stung from the corners digging into his hand. "Just remember: Everything has an answer, whether you like it or not. And the more you run away, the faster it catches up."

The air grew still with an uncomfortable atmosphere. Marise went back to looking down and, feeling unwelcome, Haru excused himself, book in hand. He didn't know what to make of that. He'd gotten Marise's thoughts, though not as in-depth as he would've liked, and learned a bit about her, but at what price?

He headed out the hallway and back to his own room, nothing waiting for him in the hallway.

Ding dong. Bing bong.

"Good evening, students! It is now 10 PM and the Meeting Room has been locked up. I advise you to get some nice rest. Sleep tight!"

\---

The time had come. Fifteen students and one doll stood in a line in the hallway, each holding onto a mask. Shigeru’s voice echoed, “Remember, remember. This time is our freebie. If what Monokuma says is the truth, we should all be fine.”

There was no response. The silence was deafening. “One more minute. If we want to be safe, we should put them on now!” Ami cried out, shutting her pocket watch with a click. She was the first to put on the mask, brushing her bangs out of the way. The others followed suit and a mechanical voice filled the air.

“Gassing period one: Commencing.”

And a hiss met their ears. The room fogged up with white gas and Rikuto, who had lifted his welding mask just barely to fit the respiration mask under, shut his eyes, waiting for something. A scream or a drop. His heart rate didn’t slow. Not even as the minutes passed.

Five. Ten.

“Period one gassing complete. Time remaining in period one: One hour. Fifty minutes.”

It took only a moment for the air to clear, the surroundings once again becoming visible. “So, who’s gonna take it off first?” Yamato asked, his voice muffled. Just as he’d finished his sentence, there was a slight thunk as Mei set her mask back on the locker. Each gaze turned to her as she stared back.

“Why do you look at me with so much confusion?” Mei asked before shaking her head and walking off to the red hall. As it seemed like Mei was fine, the others removed their masks and began to go about, an air of caution about.

“Riku?” Shigeru approached the larger man, “I couldn’t help but notice you peek your mask up juuust a bit. I know, I know. It probably means nothing but I was wondering if you might want to, I dunno, just look at my supplies? Just a little?”

“Will that make you happy?” Rikuto tilted his head.

“Oh yes, tremendously. I am certain in time you will show your face to me. But until then, we’ll take it one step at a time.” Shigeru grinned. He turned on his heel, “Come on. Let’s go to my room.”

Rikuto hesitantly followed Shigeru and both exited into the blue hallway.

“W-Wait, shouldn’t we be taking the masks?” Shohei looked around frantically, “Wh-What if someone loses track o-of the time?”

“I agree it would be safer,” Ami responded. She hadn’t set hers down yet and instead just stared at it. “Although, someone won’t be safe still... If only I knew who. Argh, I’ll just have to do my best.”

The hypnotist continued to mutter to herself as she headed through the door that led to the dining hall. Amari’s eyes trailed and she made a split-second decision before also heading that way.

“Should we meet up again for the next one?” Kanna asked the remaining students, “I personally think it might not be as wise as, say, staying in our rooms. If one of us is going to go crazy, locking ourselves up for that hour might not be a terrible idea.”

“Yes, that is certainly a solution. But only for the second period. You see, should one person be haunted by fears submerged so deep, they would struggle to escape. The third period, two will thrash to reach the surface and they very well may kill each other,” Yudai’s voice was even as he explained, “We do have a few hours to come up with another strategy before that third period comes around.”

“If this is our temporary solution, we should inform the others.” Kouki added, “In fact, I’ll go do that. Do you want to come with me, Haru?”

“Oh, uh, yeah.” The cellist snapped his head up. “Yeah, let’s go.”

Kouki grabbed him by the arm and dragged him to the dining hall door, where Amari and Ami had gone and they quickly disappeared.

“No reason to stay, then.” Marise shook her head, excusing herself. With her departure, Yamato and Shohei also left, apparently eager to go back to their dorms.

“Since I’m unaffected, I can patrol the halls. If I’m alone, it’ll be easy for me to run away when someone leaves.” Niseko suggested.

“Kero.” Keroko nodded, approving of Niseko’s plan and, feeling like she had nothing more to contribute, hopped away to the red hallway.

“Good idea. It might also be good to prepare for the next period...” Kanna said and then excused himself. Niseko also left, though she went toward the meeting room.

There were three left. Nori, who had been oddly silent looked up, “I’ll just say it. I’m scared. How can anyone not be?”

“Being scared won’t do you any good.” Yudai blinked, but the final person in the room raised her arm.

“Isn’t fear just a manifestation of our will to survive? What causes it, subconsciously? Take a phobia, for instance. An irrational fear that seemingly serves no purpose but to haunt our troubled minds. Sometimes we know the cause... Other times, we don’t. What if that acrophobic person’s ancestor nearly fell off a cliff and that trauma carried through, leaving an imprint in their mind... Their child’s... Grandchildren's... It’s not impossible.” Yukari’s ramblings landed her with a stare of confusion from Nori. “We have seen the results of this gas and, I admit, it seems like a frightening concept, to be faced with hallucinations that very likely draw from your fears. However, I believe this is quite tame. I dare Monokuma to target me. Oh, but I forgot. It’s random, isn’t it, loves?”

“Random? We did all choose from our own discretion. This is true. But you sound unconvinced yourself, Yukari.” Yudai looked at the psychoanalyst.

“Randomness, coincidence, whatever. It’s a fabrication created to give ourselves something to fall back on. The subconscious will ensure that nothing is left to chance.” Yukari raised a finger, “That is to say if the mastermind is playing fair to begin with.”

“We are taking the word of someone so twisted...” Nori whispered.

“Well then. Good luck, loves. I do hope nobody dies so soon, but that might be too much to hope for. Kyahahaha!” Cackling, Yukari dashed toward the red hallway, the door exploding open before she even reached it and, with a final wave, the door shut behind her.

Yudai and Nori exchanged one final glance before going their own ways to wait out the rest of the period.

\---

Amari sat on her bed, her mask in her hands. It was only a few minutes before period two. This time, she felt sweat beading on her forehead. The anticipation of what could happen was just too great. She lay down, waiting for that cold voice to sound again.

As she did, her mind wandered. If she were to be fine, which was statistically likely for a little while, she’d have to do all she could to prevent anyone from getting hurt. But how? As a trained bodyguard, she was certainly capable, but it was also unpredictable. Depending on who got struck, she’d have to improvise. And if it were Yukari... Could Amari even disable her?

After her display with Mei and her ability to seemingly warp reality... Amari felt her fingers go cold. The situation had suddenly just gotten a lot darker. If Yukari were to be the first victim, what was stopping someone like her from finding a way to unlock the doors? There was no doubt in the bodyguard's mind that Yukari carried very heavy baggage and she was afraid of what it could be.

Amari then thought to the other students. Most of them would be easy enough to dispatch, but others would be more dangerous. Mei, who carried weapons on her. Rikuto and Yudai, who were both physically taller than her. Kanna, whose talent suggested that he was capable of more than he appeared...

Amari’s thoughts continued like this until she forced herself to stop. Several minutes had passed, she was sure of it. Yet there was no sound. Just as it crossed her mind, there was a knock at the door. Warily, Amari got up and opened it. Standing on the other side was Ami, “Amari. I apologise for the intrusion but... We’re past time and nothing’s happened and... Are you okay?”

“Yes, I am fine. I was just thinking the same thing myself. Do you think we should assemble everyone?” Amari responded.

Before Ami could give her input, a light pitter-patter of footsteps grew louder and they turned to see Niseko, running awkwardly toward them. “Oh! People are already out! That’s great because, uhhhh. There’s something wrong.”

“If it’s the lack of gas, we know,” Ami said, rubbing her head.

“No, no. I mean, yes, that’s a problem, but no. You know that room in the meeting room? It’s locked. Like, sealed or something. I’m gonna get everyone else, but you, at least, should go see if you can open it, Amari.” Niseko’s voice was frantic and almost as soon as she finished her thought she ran past to go knock on another door.

No words had to be said as Ami took off sprinting, Amari following closely behind. “I really don’t like these connotations. You remember what Monokuma said would stop the gas?”

“I’d rather it not cross my mind,” Amari answered Ami’s question between breaths. It didn’t take long before they burst into the meeting room. Amari walked right up to the door and her eyes widened, “Ami, look at this. The cracks... They really do look like they’ve been sealed. The bottom has been busted, though...”

“Can you see anything through the hole?” Ami asked, gripping her pocket watch tightly.

“No, the room is too dark.” She banged against the door, “It’s solid, too. This is gonna take some real work to open.”

Amari put a hand up to signal Ami to move out of the way and she backed up. With a mighty yell, she charged forward to try to shoulder the door open. She squeezed her eyes shut just before impact, but something stopped her with a strange popping noise, repelling her with such force that she flew backward.

“I didn’t take you for one so stupid. You know if you run into something so hard with that much force, you’ll fracture your bones.” Yukari stood in the doorframe from the hallway. Her hand was extended, making it clear that she had been the one to stop Amari. As Amari looked up, she could see remnants of the red smoke, as if something had just exploded, sending her back. “Oh, but I’m no doctor.”

“Do you have any ideas for getting it open, then?” Ami bit her lip, knowing full well just who she was asking the question to.

“Well, I can open it and eventually I’ll have to, but do you really want me to do that right now?” Yukari walked forward to stand in front of the door, “You know what’s in there. I know you do even if you won’t admit it to yourself.”

“I won’t believe it,” Amari grumbled, getting to her feet.

“Delusions are a critical symptom. Imagine if you kept thinking like this and ended up in psychosis. Have you heard of the ‘willing suspension of disbelief’? It’s a theatrical term for when people choose to cast aside logic and criticism for the sake of enjoying something. In a play, not everything is a hundred percent realistic, but we still enjoy it thanks to this. Of course, it isn’t limited to just theatre, but all entertainment. This is something we can attempt to explain with neuroscience, as people have in the past and, very likely, it is wholly subconscious.” Yukari’s gaze didn’t leave the door as she continued her tirade. “But let’s apply it. You choose to ignore the facts presented to you and believe that behind this door is something entirely different from the truth. Perhaps nothing? I wish not to know what you are deluding yourself with. But what we can do with such a suspension is to break it.”

Yukari finally turned around to face both Ami and Amari, “And I will waste no more time. You want to prove to yourselves that everything is okay? That the realm beyond has not claimed the realm beyond this door? Fine then. Take all the proof you need!”

She snapped her fingers and a deafening crash caused both of the others to flinch, Ami covering her ears. The red smoke once again filled the air, mixing with the dust and particles from the door, blown off its hinges. Amari squinted to see past it all while Ami walked forward to click on the light.

And when she saw it, Amari’s breath caught in her throat. The scent of blood permeated the air, hitting like a wave. Ami visibly gagged, not even having seen it yet. Slowly, she turned, her hand white from clutching her pocket watch so hard.

Just as Yukari claimed, the suspension had been broken.

Rikuto Honda was dead.

…

Ding dong bing bong.

Ami’s throat was so dry she couldn’t swallow. The announcement barely registered. If not for the dread-filled contents, she would not have heard it at all.

“A body has been discovered! I advise you all to come to the Storage Room right away! After a certain amount of time has passed, the class trial will begin!”

Backing into the wall, Ami brought her pocket watch to her chest, shivering, “Amari...Amari?”

The bodyguard was silent for a moment, “Don’t be worried about being here. I can vouch that we found this together. They won’t suspect you simply because you were one of the first to find the body.”

“It’s... alright. It’s alright.” Ami murmured to herself. So low, it wasn’t even clear if Amari could hear her.

The sound of running footsteps grew louder and louder until shouting voices accompanied them. The first one that made any sense was Marise, “You’re not serious, right? No one’s actually dead, right?”

But when each person saw the corpse, everyone had no choice but to believe. This was reality. Rikuto was dead.

\---

Investigation: Begin.

\---

Haru clenched his hand as the rules once again washed over him. If Monokuma didn’t do this, and signs pointed to him not, they had to figure out who. And even if it were Monokuma, they’d still need to find evidence to prove that, “Monokuma didn’t give us a timeframe, so we don’t know how long we have. We need to start investigating.”

“How are you so calm, Haru?” Kouki eyes were wide, “That- That’s Rikuto! He’s dead... Haru, he’s dead and he’s not coming back!”

“That’s why we have to do this. For Rikuto’s sake, right?” Haru met Kouki’s gaze and the artist sighed, “I don’t really know how a criminal investigation goes, though-”

“I can help with that,” Marise cut in, “We need at least two people guarding the body, first. You need to be ready to resign yourselves to working off of the idiotic logic of others though.”

“I can do that. It’s even in my title. Bodyguard.” Amari was the first to answer, “Of course, my clients are usually alive.”

“I’ll join you, why not?” Surprisingly, it was Yamato who had spoken, “I doubt I’ll- Ahem. I’ll find more use here from the side, as ringmaster, of course!”

Haru narrowed his eyes before Marise spoke again, “Great. Perfect. Two losers chosen. Next, we need to divide up the work if we want the most efficiency. Teams are good but we don’t know just how confined this murder is. I’m gonna say pairs are the best bet and if I had to guess, we already have those. So, uh, whatever, choose a partner, I guess.”

There was an uncomfortable shuffle as people moved around. No one doubted Marise’s expertise, so there was no point in not listening to her. After a minute or so they had divided. Kanna was with Shohei, Haru was with Kouki, Keroko was with Niseko, Ami was with Mei. There had been some uncomfortableness with Shigeru, but he eventually paired up with Yudai and Nori looked at Marise timidly.

“Ugh, whatever. It’s not like there’s anyone I’d prefer.” Marise growled, shaking her head at Nori. Then her gaze shifted behind the mob to where one person was sitting on the table all alone, “What about you?”

“Me? My, I do feel as though I am capable of conducting my own investi-”

“No. Else we’ll choose you to begin with. How about you be with Mr. Politician loser.” Marise glared at Yukari and the psychoanalyst looked between her and Nori.

“Ah, if you say so. I suppose I have no choice.” Yukari slid down and walked to stand next to Nori. His reaction was difficult to read as if he was both scared and curious at the same time and, by all accounts of what went around previously, he probably was.

“I’ll just go with Niseko and Keroko.” Marise decided. “Now, let’s see. Us three will go to the large hallway first. Anyone else have any preferences?”

Kanna spoke up first, “Let’s take the Meeting Room itself, Shohei.” and the barista nodded his approval.

“Why not the dining hall? Are you alright with that, Shigeru?” Yudai turned to his own investigation partner who solemnly nodded. Yudai stared at him for a moment, as if in pity and then looked back at Marise.

“Where would you like to go, Nori?” Yukari smiled at him as if he were a toddler at a play place.

“Umm... The, uh, auditorium.” Nori hesitated, feeling like he could give a wrong answer to Yukari’s question.

“We can investigate Rikuto’s dorm but I almost feel as though... It might not be enough. Could we investigate here, the storage room, too?” After the initial shock, Ami had seemingly gone back to the stoic demeanor that she had initially presented herself with before she had broken down.

“Yeah okay. That covers all of the main bases so, uh... Haru and Kouki can go wherever, I guess. Unless one of you losers can think of something better-”

“Alibis?” Kouki cut off Marise, “We can interrogate and see if alibis hold up.”

“Oh. Hmm. Yeah, I guess you can do that.” Marise folded her arms, “And when we reconvene, we should have the whole story. From there, it’s just hard logic. Whether it’s the teddy bear or not, we won’t lose. Of course... Everyone knows that investigating with a suspect in mind changes how you investigate.”

With her last statement, Marise looked directly at Mei before turning. However, she jumped a bit as she found herself staring straight into Monokuma’s red eye, “...Hello.”

“What the hell, loser bear? What do you want?” Marise spat, trying to walk around him. Everywhere she stepped, however, Monokuma intercepted. If you have had a particularly troublesome sibling, you know what I am describing.

“Pew pew, finger gun, finger gun, victory!!” Monokuma hopped excitedly. “I have a little surprise for all of you! The Monokuma File!”

“Monokuma file? Like... An autopsy?” Yudai brought a finger to his lip.

“Sorta. It’s as good as you can get in a place like this. No Ultimate Nurses this time, upupupu.” He laughed at his own inside joke and then waved his arms, “Well! It’s all on the Monopads anyway, I’m just bearing the news! Ahahaha!”

With that, the bear ran off and Marise huffed before following where he’d gone. She would of course, like it to be known that it was not because she was following him but because she needed to exit in that same direction. Niseko stumbled to catch up and Keroko hopped closely behind.

With their departure, the melancholic attitude only worsened as people left, as if replacing them was the heavy weight of despair. Eventually, all who remained were Amari and Yamato, the guards, Ami and Mei, assigned to the storage room, and Haru and Kouki. “We can start here... Which is great because I think Amari and Ami were the first ones here if I’m remembering correctly.”

Haru watched Kouki walk up to Amari, who was standing by the door. The bodyguard tilted her head to look down at Kouki, “I heard you. Yes, Ami and I were the first to arrive, Yukari shortly after.”

“Of course Yukari was one of the first...” Haru muttered. He turned his gaze to Ami who was leaning on the wall in the storage room, fiddling with her Monopad, “Are you checking out the file or whatever he said.”

“That’s correct. It’s not completely useless.” Ami responded.

_ **Obtained Truth Bullet: Monokuma File #1** _

_ **Victim: Rikuto Honda** _

_ **Cause of Death: Blunt Force Trauma to the right side of the head.** _

_ **Time of Death: 9:31 AM** _

“It seems like the type of thing people will gloss over, at least. So I wanted to give it a quick read,” Ami pocketed her Monopad again and then turned to the body, “But there’s no way to verify it without going to the source.”

“Ami, are you okay?” Amari spoke up. Having seen Ami’s reaction earlier, it was hard for her to understand the calm person she was witnessing kneel down at the body.

“Yes, I am fine.” She responded, though her attention seemed to be fixated on Rikuto. She raised her hands and hesitated.

“Just earlier, you were less than... stable.” Amari walked over to her side and placed a hand on her shoulder.

“Yes, but I’m alright now. It was just the shock of... well. Of all of it.” Ami bit her lip before poking Rikuto’s mask.

“Have you ever seen a dead body before?” Amari’s voice was calm and soothing as she looked at Ami’s face.

“No. I’ve never seen one before.” Ami shook her head before sighing, “I’m going to take it off now. His mask I mean. Theoretically, it should be clean, but... I’m a little curious.”

At her words, Mei, who’d been out in the meeting room, walked in, saying nothing. Ami gripped the mask with both hands and pulled it off. After a moment, she set it down next to her and stood up.

Haru wasn’t sure what he expected. Rikuto’s face looked peaceful, despite the pooling blood. He had quite elegant features and, as Ami had predicted, not bloody or beaten in the slightest.

His spiky short black hair was completely slicked up, which Haru assumed was to keep it out of his eyes under the mask, and he grimaced as Mei pulled up an eyelid to get a peek before quicking returning it. As Haru watched the ninja with mild discomfort, she stared back with an expression that spoke very clear that she was comfortable around the corpse. Even further, she did not seem to understand his disgust as she blinked, “His eyes are yellow.”

“Can you check his head, Mei? We need to confirm the Monokuma File,” Ami said as she gingerly picked up Rikuto’s left arm which was bent out of shape. It was no doubt broken. “Isn’t it odd that it’s Rikuto’s right side that has the fatal blow and yet his left arm is the broken one?”

“What am I looking for? His head is injured. He is dead.” Mei nodded, matter of factly. Ami glanced up at her and she continued, “Right side of head..?”

Yamato suddenly rounded one of the shelves, “So... This was the weapon that did it, then?” He was holding a folding chair, one end bloody and dented, splatter running down the rest. “He certainly had a thick skull, that one.”

Kouki frowned at Yamato before shaking her head, “Where did you find it anyway?”

“Well, miss lady, I can show you.” Yamato set the chair down then swept his arm to beckon Kouki in a grandiose fashion and the two disappeared back around.

“Everything with the Monokuma File checks out, although it’s lacking as an autopsy,” Haru noted. Best to keep the state of the body in mind.

_ **Obtained Truth Bullet: Rikuto’s Body** _

_ **The right side of Rikuto's head is caved in and his left arm is bloody and broken.** _

Ami was now looking at Rikuto’s mask. She seemed much more at ease now as she traced her finger across it, stopping at the blood. “Hm. If Rikuto was hit so hard that his blood splattered all over, I guess it makes sense that it’s on the mask, too. Something’s weird about it though and I can’t put my finger on what it is.”

“Well, all we can do for now is document it and keep going,” Amari said, peering over Ami’s shoulder.

_ **Obtained Truth Bullet: Rikuto’s Body** _

_ **There’s blood splatter on Rikuto’s mask. It had been removed for the investigation.** _

Mei was crouching on the ground, feeling around, though Haru had no idea as to why. From what he could see, there was nothing there, so he diverted his attention to the chair Yamato had brought. Amari resumed her position at the door and Ami began to go through Rikuto’s pockets. “...His Monopad is missing.”

“Missing? Where did it go?” Haru glanced back at Ami.

“Well, maybe I’m just missing it, but it doesn’t seem to be here. If I had to take a guess, I’d say the killer took it. It’d be idiocy to keep it around with them, though, so... It’s probably in their room.” Ami stood up, “But why? Would something about Rikuto’s Monopad incriminate the killer?”

_ **Obtained Truth Bullet: Missing Monopad** _

_ **Rikuto’s Monopad has been removed from his body. The reason and current location are both unknown.** _

“Well, on a different note, it really seems like this chair was the murder weapon. That being so, I think it limits the suspects. After all, I can’t really see someone like Keroko or Niseko or even Marise lifting this high enough to hit Rikuto on the head.” Haru tapped the chair, “And there are dents all over under the blood.”

“I’ll add that there are plenty more chairs in here, but none are bloody or anything.” The voice was Kouki’s. She had returned with Yamato. “Yamato had nothing to add either. He says he was in his room the whole time.”

“I was in my room. I’m not just saying it.” Yamato shook his head, “Yes, it’s a shabby alibi, but do you have a better one?”

Kouki looked at Haru and then back at Yamato, shaking her head. “Whatever. We’re still on the topic of the chair anyway.”

_ **Obtained Truth Bullet: Chair** _

_ **One of the folding chairs found in the storage room is bloody and has a lot of indentations.** _

“Well, I think we’re done with that. In fact, alibis, if anyone has any. Especially you two.” Yamato pointed at Ami and Amari. “They say the first to the scene is suspicious, right?”

“I didn’t do it.” Ami bit her lip, “I was keeping track of the time and when the second round never came, I went to Amari’s room, knowing that if something were to happen, she’d be the most reliable if we had to subdue someone.”

“Niseko came shortly afterward saying that this room had been sealed. She suggested I go check it out and try to open it and then left to alert the rest of you guys. Ami ran off and I followed her. Just as Niseko said, the room had somehow been sealed. I tried to open it, but it was stuck tight,” Amari folded her arms and glanced at Ami.

“Yukari came. She said some stuff about whatever it is she likes to talk about and then blew the door up. Off of its hinges. It’s over there now,” Ami pointed at where the door now lay, “Then we found Rikuto and the rest is as you know.”

“She... blew it up?” Kouki’s mouth hung open, “Alright then. Um... What else did I expect?”

“How was it sealed?” Haru walked out to the meeting room, where the door lay on the ground. When he went to inspect the edges, he felt a ball form in his throat, “It... It looks like it was welded shut. Did Rikuto... Trap himself inside?”

“Which side was welded?” Yamato called, following “The inside or the outside?”

“I can’t tell... I have a feeling we aren’t meant to know. If Rikuto really did do this, then this welding is top-notch.” Haru sighed. “But this hole. Was this here before, Ami?”

“Hm? Oh, yes. It was there before Yukari blew open the door.” Ami walked next to Haru and felt the edge of the missing portion, “I can’t tell how it was done, though...”

“There is blood on it. I guess that makes sense since Rikuto would’ve had to have sealed it before he died.” Haru scratched his head, confused, “Maybe he was trying to keep his attacker in the room with him? How did they escape though?”

_ **Obtained Truth Bullet: Door** _

_ **The door to the storage room was welded shut and has blood splatter on it. There is a hole in the bottom right corner.** _

“A locked-room mystery, is it?” Amari said from her post, “I hardly need to explain it, but I suppose I can. They are regarded as impossible mysteries as all exits are sealed from the inside. There are a few popular solutions, like suicide. I have a strong feeling, though that Rikuto didn’t commit suicide. This hole gets me thinking, though.”

“About what?” Kouki had joined the group outside by now and was eagerly listening to Amari’s explanations.

“Have you heard of the ice bullet? It’s a common plot device where the murderer shoots the victim in the locked room with a bullet made of ice so that it eventually melts, leaving no trace. From a scientific standpoint, an ice bullet is impossible, given the fragility and the melting, but perhaps some mechanism was rigged that the killer manipulated through this hole,” Amari grunted as she lifted the door, by herself I’ll add, and placed it where it once hung, leaning it so that it didn’t fall back over. “See? There’s enough room here to manipulate something, I’d think.”

Without warning, the door squeaked and Amari leaped out of the way as the door came crashing back down. Mei stood on the other side and looked around curiously, “Did you intend to trap me?”

“Mei! You almost just flattened Amari!” Ami yelped. She had covered her ears from the loud noise and now gaped at Mei.

“Oh. I apologise for that.” Mei bowed at Amari. “I see that you have not been injured. This is good.”

“You are a weirdo...” Yamato shook his head.

“I am not sure as to what that word means, but you will have to educate me later.” Mei turned around and walked back into the storage room, drew her katana and crouched on the ground, peering under a shelf.

“All of that just to go back inside?” Kouki rubbed her head as if a migraine were forming. “Maybe she’s claustrophobic.”

Mei slid her katana around before grunting and pulling something out. Haru recognised it immediately. It was Rikuto’s welding torch. Mei picked it up and then looked at Kouki, “What does ‘claustrophobic’ mean? Haru was teaching me about ‘phobias’ earlier.”

“Fear of enclosed spaces,” Kouki answered, still dumbfounded by Mei’s attitude toward the whole thing. “By the way, Mei. What were you doing before the murder took place?”

“Training.” She answered very simply. “I wanted to sleep, but training comes first.”

“I, um... Okay.” Kouki decided to leave it at that.

“Maybe we should go to Rikuto’s dorm now, Mei...” Ami ruffled her bangs, “Yeah. Let’s go.”

She led the way out and Mei glanced at the torch and then gingerly set it on the ground before running after, sheathing her blade as she did.

_ **Obtained Truth Bullet: Welding Torch** _

_ **Rikuto’s welding torch was found under a shelf in the storage room. There is no blood on it.** _

"You know, Kanna and Shohei seem awfully absorbed," Kouki said, pointing at the two who were on the other side of the room. True, Haru realised. They hadn't even come when the door fell.

"J-Just Kanna," Shohei called as he heard his name, "He's checking the ch-chairs, I suppose."

"Yes. We must be careful not to miss anything. You should be helping, Shohei!" Kanna looked up.

"R-Right." The barista kneeled down hesitantly, glancing at Kanna with concern as he did.

"Oh, but do you guys have alibis?" Kouki stepped forward.

"N-No... I was cowering in a corner of m-my room." Shohei admitted, standing up again. It seemed Kanna made him quite uncomfortable.

"I wish I could say I had a perfect alibi, but I fear mine is the same as most everyones. I was alone in my room waiting for the period to come." Kanna shook his head, "Apologies."

"No need. I suppose that's that, isn't it, Haru? We should move on." Kouki pursed her lips and began to walk off.

Haru nodded to Kanna and Shohei while Kouki turned to look at Amari and Yamato, the latter now looking at the torch, “Thank you both. Let’s do our best!”

She led Haru through the Meeting Room and out into the hallway where she paused. Keroko was there, hopping on top of the lockers. No masks were currently there as they had been taken for the second period. “Kero?”

“Ah, this might be a bit difficult...” Haru admitted, “Maybe we can do some twenty questions thing. We’re curious about your alibi, Keroko.”

“Kero!” She nodded and sat still, expectantly waiting.

“Okay, hm. Well, this might actually not be so hard. Were you in your room at the time of the murder?” He asked.

“Kero.” She nodded and covered her mouth to simulate the mask.

“You were waiting for the second period. Okay. Were you doing anything else?” Haru glanced around for a moment, but beside him, Keroko, and Kouki, they were alone.

“Ro.” She shook her head. Keroko did seem like a patient person, constantly having to deal with a language barrier, so Haru had no issue believing this.

“Was anyone with you?” He already guessed the answer, but no harm in asking.

“Ro.” She shook her head again, just as Haru expected.

“Okay, I think we’ve got enough of an alibi. Have you found anything here?” Haru said, sweeping his gaze across the lockers.

“Kero....” She hung her head. Clearly a no. She then waved her arm and hopped toward the red door. She opened her mouth and wrapped her sticky tongue around the handle to turn it and entered. Haru and Kouki followed, Haru careful not to touch the handle after that and saw Niseko wandering around in the Red Hallway.

“Oh, hello guys! How’s the investigation going?” Niseko pressed her hands together and looked up at Haru.

“It’s going alright I hope. We’re gathering alibis.” Kouki answered and Niseko turned her head to look at her instead.

“Oh... Alibis. I’m very annoyed because I started my patrol at exactly 10 AM but I didn’t see Rikuto at all! I was out in that big hallway and, well, come to think of it. I saw nobody! After a while of waiting... Just after the second period should’ve started, I made a quick round and that’s when I found the locked door. Well, not locked, but you know. I came back to get someone and found Amari and Ami talking, so I told them to go check it out.” Niseko nodded as she spoke, “But maybe I should’ve looked in more than just that hallway... Maybe I could’ve seen someone...”

“The murder occurred at 9:31 AM. You weren't even on your patrol yet.” Kouki lowered her head, “I don’t think you could have done anything.”

“Yeah, but still. It’s just... It’s frustrating. I’m mad at myself.” Niseko turned away. “But yeah... I was patrolling and saw nobody.”

_ **Obtained Truth Bullet: Niseko’s Account** _

_ **At 10 AM, Niseko started her patrol. She did not see anyone come in or out of the dorms.** _

“Have you found anything else?” Haru asked, glancing around the hall. His eyes landed on the door without a crest. It was too obviously Yukari’s, but he had to wonder if she blotted out the crest herself or if it was the mastermind.

“Here? No. But uhh, hm. This is probably unrelated but Setsuka smashes open the mask the moment she knew the motive was over and, guess what!” Niseko leaned forward and spoke in a hushed voice, “It was empty!”

“Empty? But it was obviously filtering that gas earlier.” Haru frowned and then looked up at Kouki, “Do you think the motive was a bluff?”

“No way. After what Monokuma did to Mei? He’s not going to be messing around. There has to be some trick to it...” Kouki bit her thumb, deep in thought and then shook her head, “No... It’s not worth it to think about that right now. It has no relevance to Rikuto’s murder... I think.”

“Kero.” Keroko nodded at Kouki’s words and, without warning, heading for the exit, clearing the entire hallway in a single leap. Haru watched as she disappeared and then brought his attention back to the others.

“So, what exactly are your thoughts on the murder itself, Niseko?” Haru asked. He was a little uncomfortable still with the doll’s lifeless eyes staring at him, but he was slowly getting used to it.

“Ah, my thoughts? Well, I don’t think it was Yukari for obvious reasons. I also don’t think it was Keroko. Hmm...” Niseko brought her hand to her face, “If you want my top suspect, it’s Shigeru.”

“Shigeru?” Kouki gasped and tilted her head, “But why? Surely not for that misunderstanding with Ami!”

“No, that’s not it. It’s just that the person closest to Rikuto was Shigeru. That’s really my only evidence. If you want something more incriminating, Ami has been acting strange since I mentioned that the Storage Room was sealed,” Niseko thought back to when she spoke with Ami and Amari, “She was very quick to go to the Meeting Room and that whole panicky fear thing disappeared in moments.”

“Pfft. Are we talking suspects?” The door swung open, revealing Marise, “Haven’t I told you? No matter what happens, the most suspicious one is Mei. My evidence is this: Having experienced first-hand what that gas was like, she didn’t want to go through it again. Of course, using her swords to kill would make it too obvious, so she lured Rikuto away from his room and killed him. Being a ninja, Mei could’ve easily stealthed right by Niseko.”

“Mei really doesn’t seem like that type of person, though,” Haru said, a worried expression plastered to his face. “She seems impulsive at a glance, but I get the feeling that everything she does is very calculated. And her doing something for personal gain... I don’t feel like she’s one for self-satisfaction. You saw how she reacted when Yudai became her ‘client’, right?”

“That just gives us another option. Someone just told Mei to murder Rikuto. If that’s the case, it was probably Yukari or Yudai. They’re the manipulative ones.” Marise shook her head, “And if you think that there is nothing but, ugh, goodness in that ninja loser’s heart then consider this: She murdered Rikuto to spare the rest of us from the effects of the gas.”

“You have passion, but I think you’re being incredibly biased, Marise.” Niseko clasped her hands together, “It’s true that we can suspect Mei but it’s also true that we don’t have enough evidence to suspect anyone really.”

“You just wait. I will find evidence to support my argument. There is always something that points to a truth. All I’ve gotta do is find it.” Marise furrowed her brow, “I’m going to go talk to the loser herself. Do me a favor and get something useful done.”

With that, Marise turned around, her hair whipping as she did, and stalked out of the hallway. Niseko hung her head, “She probably means look in the Blue Hallway. If I know Marise, she did no investigating at all. Anyway, if you two are after alibis, I suggest checking up with Shigeru. He’s in the Dining Hall, I think.”

“That’s where Yudai chose to go, so I’d imagine so.” Haru nodded, “Thank you for your help, Niseko. Good luck investigating, er, the Blue Hallway, I guess.”

The doll let out a sigh, “Thanks.”

Haru led Kouki out into the main hallway and into the door that led to the Dining Room. He stopped short, though, when he heard voices.

“I am merely suggesting it as a possibility. Just a small chance. I wish to dash the thoughts out of my head which is why I chose to investigate with you, Shigeru.”

“You’re really annoying me. I’m sure I could repeat myself over and over and nothing would change! I did not kill Riku.”

“But you have yet to offer proof.” As this was being said, Haru fully entered, closely followed by Kouki, “Ah. Haru and Kouki. Perfect timing as I recall you two to be investigating alibis. Perhaps Shigeru will open up to you.”

Yudai was staring at them with his usual unreadable expression while Shigeru sulked off to the side. “Fine, fine. As long as there is more than one other person. Yeah, I asked Riku to come with me after the first period. We were looking at makeup together, but he still refused to take off his mask. It was a very, very short meeting because, after a bit, he suddenly perked up and said he needed to find you, Yudai.”

“Why Yudai?” Kouki interjected. She had pulled out a drawing pad and was apparently fingerpainting some notes down.

“Well, he said something about the masks and that you were a mask maker, so he might know.” Shigeru grumbled, “What I don’t understand is that if Rikuto went to go find you, how can you suspect me? You already know that I was with him!”

“Noted. All I needed to know was if you would tell the truth.” Yudai nodded slowly, his hair tufts bobbing slightly as he did, “I’m sure that you understand if you withheld that information from me, you would have jumped my list of suspects, Shigeru?”

Shigeru sighed heavily, “I hate it... I hate it because it does make sense and I should have thought of it first. I should have questioned you about it!”

“So Rikuto went to visit Yudai...” Kouki said aloud as she wrote, “Yudai, doesn’t that make you suspicious? You were the last to see Rikuto, right?”

“Perhaps I was. I am not entirely sure as I left his room before nine.” Yudai answered.

“Does that check out with your times, Shigeru?” Haru looked at the cosmetologist.

“I guess so. It was probably around 8:15 when Riku left.” Shigeru shrugged, “But anyway, that was the last I saw him... Argh, if only I had tried harder!”

_ **Obtained Truth Bullet: Shigeru’s Account** _

_ **Shigeru was in his dorm with Rikuto before his death showing him his makeup collection. Rikuto left the room around 8:15 AM.** _

“And as I said, that meeting about the masks was the last I saw of him as well.” Yudai folded his arms and lowered his head slightly, “Though it is not impossible that someone met up with him in those thirty minutes in between.”

_ **Obtained Truth Bullet: Yudai’s Account** _

_ **Rikuto had approached Yudai to examine the masks once more. It took place in Rikuto’s room and Yudai left before 9:00 AM.** _

‘If only’ is the ultimate statement of regret. At this moment, looking at the various facts and evidence and theories of Rikuto’s murder, each student had some ‘if only’ lingering in their mind. ‘If only I had tried harder’ or ‘If only I had left sooner’. It was likely that no student felt completely free from guilt. Perhaps not even Yukari.

“There is one other thing,” Shigeru spoke up. “Well, well, I mean... I noticed during the investigation that a pair of scissors has gone missing from my kit. I honestly can’t think of anyone who could’ve taken it except... Well, Riku. I’m not sure why he would do that though.”

_ **Obtained Truth Bullet: Missing Scissors** _

_ **Shigeru claims that he is missing scissors from his makeup kit.** _

“I don’t like this idea at all, Haru, but do you think... Do you think Rikuto was planning a murder and somehow got overpowered? The locked room would’ve made an ideal setting... Missing scissors could’ve been his murder weapon...” Kouki squeezed her trembling hands shut, “No, no. I can’t think like this... Can I?”

“From the state you two were in when we came, I doubt it, but have you guys found anything of note?” Haru said, hoping to divert Kouki’s attention.

“Aside from my scissors? No, no. Yudai wouldn’t stop pestering me.” Shigeru glared at Yudai, “However, we should begin our search, no?”

“With that behind us, I am inclined to agree,” Yudai answered. “If you two are looking for elsewhere to go, Yukari and Nori are still in the Auditorium as far as I’m concerned.”

“Thank you, Yudai. Let’s go talk to them. If anyone can make sense of this... It’s Yukari. If she’ll even be cooperative, that is.” Kouki shook her head vigorously and headed for the door that led to the Auditorium.

Haru dipped his head to the two and followed Kouki into the next room. Looking around, he was surprised to see Yukari sitting in the front row, her head in her hands while Nori stood at the podium. “Oh! More people! Toha! Wako! Come join us!”

“...Wako? Could you have chosen a more unflattering name?” Kouki frowned as she hesitantly entered after Haru?

Yukari peeked up with weary eyes, “Ah, Haru. I see you have come to rescue me from this excruciatingly boring seminar on changing our broken, unturning world. Nori’s words, not mine.”

“Yes! Exactly! So you were paying attention.” Nori clapped his hands together, “Brilliant, alright. So what you two missed is that if I’m elected, I will reshape the way not only Japan works, but the whole world. I will find a way to stop the troubles that plague our world.”

“We didn’t come for your campaign. You do realise that we’re in the middle of an investigation, right?” Haru walked over to the stage, looking up at Nori. “Have you even investigated at all?”

“Well, I was looking up here and then it hit me. This is the perfect opportunity! If I partner with Geyu, there’s no way I can lose!” Nori beamed brightly and then looked at Yukari.

“Well, it seems like that’s over, so...” Yukari stood up, “I’ll spare your time, love. There’s nothing here pertaining to the murder. I knew that from the beginning but it matters not to me. You reap what you sow, after all.”

“What does that phrase have to do with anything you just said?” Haru turned around, away from Nori.

“Ah, sometimes you must wait for an answer. Haru, what do you know about the Matrix?” Yukari’s words were starting to make Haru’s head spin. Her leaps in conversation topic were certainly keeping him on his toes.

“It’s a movie series about a dystopia where humanity is trapped in virtual reality. Why is that important, though?” Haru shrugged and then froze, “Are you saying that this is virtual reality? Is that-”

“No, no. This is most definitely real. Even within the confines of VR, there are boundaries. You see, that all depends on the coding. The logic of the world is reliant on what the programmer thought to implement and I have already tried to test the very limits of our small, underground world and I can say with certainty that logic flows as normally as ever. We are, in fact, in the real world.” Yukari looked up at the ceiling as she said her piece and then continued, “Why I brought up the matrix is because of the red pill, blue pill scenario.”

“The red pill wakes you up to reality while the blue pill keeps you in whatever belief you hold,” Haru said, still thoroughly confused.

“Isn’t that just the situation here in the SRS? We can choose to live here in this shelter, albeit tormented by Monokuma’s motives or we can seek the brutality of murder to try and escape.” Yukari raised a finger, looking at Haru with wide eyes. “No need to look so confused. Alright, hm. So in one of my hands, I have a red pill and in the other, a blue pill.”

As Yukari opened her hands, Haru could see just the things she described resting in her palms. He frowned deeply at her once again conjuring items out of nothing. ‘Logic flows as normally as ever’? Just what was Yukari’s definition of logic?

“If the red pill represented the outcome of murder and the possibility of escape and the blue pill the outcome of peace at the cost of Monokuma’s whims, which would you choose?” Yukari held out both to Haru, “Oh, by the way, these wont do anything to you. It’s just a metaphor. Just in case you wanted to actually take one.”

“I get what you’re saying, but I don’t get you at all. Anyway, this isn’t even why we’re here. We’re looking for alibis.” Haru glanced between Yukari and Nori.

“You’re not going to find any solid ones here, I’m sad to say.” Yukari shook her head, “But I bet Nori has something fascinating to say, don’t you, love?”

“Huh? Oh, you mean... Wait, how do you know about that?” Nori gaped and after a moment of being stared at, he began to explain, “I just saw Yudai and Rikuto together. That’s all. Sometime between eight and nine. They went to the Blue Hallway. Oh! And Yudai definitely saw me. I was gone before they came back out, though.”

“That checks out with what Shigeru and Yudai said, at least.” Kouki noted, “Is that all, though? You guys really don’t have alibis?”

“No... Not really,” Nori hung his head. “That’s it.”

_ **Obtained Truth Bullet: Nori’s Account** _

_ **Nori saw Yudai and Rikuto together sometime between 8 AM and 9 AM. He’s certain that Yudai saw him watching. They went to the blue hallway.** _

“I possibly could have done something about the motive, you know.” Yukari winked, “But no one asked before committing murder, now did they? Ah, and I suppose Monokuma wouldn’t have liked my meddling. Shhh, or it may become a rule.”

“Well, have we talked to everyone now? I have Amari and Yamato, Ami and Mei, Kanna and Shohei, Keroko, Niseko, and Marise, Shigeru and Yudai, and Yukari and Nori.” Kouki looked up at Haru.

“Counting us, that makes fifteen. Ah, I suppose we didn’t really share with each other, did we?” Haru smiled sheepishly, “But my alibi is the same as everyone else's.”

“Me too. So... Hm. Okay. Maybe we could go check Rikuto’s room. It’s the only place that we haven’t really gone and we should use all the time we have.” Kouki suggested and when Haru nodded in response, she led the way.

It didn’t take long to reach the Blue Hallway and Niseko pointed them to Rikuto’s room. Emblazoned on the door was a circle with perpendicular lines crossing through the center and short diagonal lines extending from the circumference outward. This was the symbol on Rikuto’s apron and the crest of his school which, as a note, was named ‘Rumbling Boulder High School’. Haru knocked on the door and it opened to reveal Ami. “Oh, did you come to investigate, too?”

“That’s right. We finished our interrogations so we figured we’d come here.” Haru walked inside at Ami’s gesture to come in and Kouki followed, “Have you found anything?”

“Actually? Yeah. There’s some strange powder. Here, come look.” Ami led them to the center of the room while Haru took in the room itself. It was fairly dark in color and industrial looking. Exactly what he’d expected from a welder’s room. There was a cubical looking thing in the corner that contained a workbench, presumably for welding. He didn’t look for long though as, “Careful! Don’t step on it.”

He looked down to see brownish or tannish powder, just as Ami had said.

_ **Obtained Truth Bullet: Powder on Floor** _

_ **There was a strange, tannish powder on the ground around Rikuto’s room.** _

Mei was crouching on the floor, poking and prodding at it with... “Mei, where did you get those?”

“Hm?” She raised what she was holding, “They were laying on the desk in there. Ami called them scissors. I find them quite fascinating. I have never thought of combining two blades in such a way.”

“They must be Shigeru’s,” Kouki said what Haru was thinking out loud and he absentmindedly nodded.

_ **Obtained Truth Bullet: Scissors** _

_ **Found in Rikuto’s room on his workbench. They likely belong to Shigeru.** _

“Shigeru? Are they for cutting hair, then? I thought they felt a bit small...” Ami noted, “But anyway-”

Ding dong bing bong

“Alrighty! Time’s up. Are you excited? I’m excited. As you might know, there is an elevator in the Dining Hall. Please gather there. Quickly now!”

The noise died down and Ami sighed, “I suppose that’s it. We need- Mei?”

Mei had stood up and was already at the door, “I am leaving to go to the Dining Hall.” She was still clutching the scissors, but no one stopped her as she pocketed them and disappeared from sight. Slowly, the other three followed.

“Monokuma did say that the elevator goes further down,” Kouki noted as they arrived in the Dining Hall, “But after the murder? I never would have guessed...”

As Haru looked around, he counted fourteen people, including himself, and Monokuma. As he was about to ask who was missing, he heard the door from the Auditorium swing open and a familiar ginger girl strut in, hands on her hips. Why had she been in there of all places..? It struck Haru as odd, but his attention was quickly diverted.

“If you go into the elevator, I’m sure you’ll be surprised that there are more levels than just two. Or maybe not... Puhuhu... Let’s just say this is a multipurpose elevator! For now, it will take you to none other than the trial ground! I think you’ll really like it. Now then, in you go!” Haru watched as Monokuma shoved the person nearest to him forward, Yamato, who curled his lip at the bear as he made his way in.

One by one, the students all moved into the elevator, which was more spacious than Haru had imagined. Each one of them fit without complication and room to spare. Gravity tugged on him strangely as the elevator began to sink down and Haru, standing near the center couldn’t help but feel dread, as if he, too, were sinking into an inescapable pit of despair.

He felt as though the sparks of hope were dulling. Spraying into an endless expanse of nothing. But he knew he had no choice but to forge ahead, for Rikuto’s sake.

Eventually, the movement slowed and the doors opened to a circular room with decor not much different from the rest of the shelter. The contents, however, were very different. Sixteen podiums arranged in a circle. Overseeing it all was a chair placed atop a platform. Monokuma scurried ahead and scaled to the top as the students filed in.

As Haru got in viewing distance of one of the podiums, he noticed they had name plaques, so he circled around until he found his own and watched as the other students did the same. Directly next to him, he was aware of Shigeru anxiously shuffling. On Shigeru’s other side was a picture atop a large pole. The picture depicted Rikuto’s face, well, mask, crossed out in what looked suspiciously like blood in a pattern that curled like flames.

“I want to start with a basic explanation of the class trial. During the class trial, you will present your arguments for who the blackened is, and vote for “whodunnit”. If you can figure out the culprit, only they will receive punishment. But if you pick the wrong person... Then I’ll punish everyone besides the blackened, and that person will be released from the SRS!” Monokuma peered down at the students and began to motion at them each in turn, following the circle. “Upupupupu... Now then. Who did it!?

The Perfect Paragon from the Heavens, Kanna Kanichi?  
The Song Played By Emotion, Haru Tanioto?  
The Transformation of the Mirror World, Shigeru Fujioka?  
The Whimsical Man in Search of Power, Nori Sasaki?  
The Fortified Unmoving Wall, Amari Hoshino?  
The Inspiring Beam of Seven Colors, Kouki Maekawa?  
The Leader of Many, Follower of None, Yamato Yukimura?  
The Embodiment of Suppressed Energy, Shohei Takanichi?  
The Great Mask of the Void, Yudai Shimizu?  
The Quiet Terror in the Night, Ami Yumekuu?  
The Tiny Whirlwind of Fire, Marise Kita?  
The Crimson-Colored Puppeteer, Setsuka?  
The Girl of Land and Water, Keroko?  
The Resolute Hitwoman of All, Mei Meiyo?  
Or the Unpredictable Executioner of Chaos, Yukari Nagakage?

Who killed Rikuto Honda?”

“You took the time to come up with titles for each and every one of us?” Yamato cocked his head, “Why? What purpose does that serve?”

“Upupupu...” Monokuma didn’t respond.

“I object to my title.” Ami folded her arms, “Your twisted sense of fun at our expense... It’s painfully obvious how you really see us.”

“We can argue about this all we’d like, but these made-up names are irrelevant right now.” Shigeru sighed and then turned to look at the picture next to him. “What is this?”

“A reminder.” It wasn’t Monokuma who answered, but Yukari. “Imagine the day where only a few still stand. This courtroom will be filled with pictures of the deceased. As reminders of who you failed to protect. That is the purpose they serve. Not whatever lie the bear was going to feed you. Something along the lines of ‘I didn’t want them to feel left out,’ yes?”

Monokuma didn’t even laugh this time, his face still as stone. Kanna raised a fist, “Alright then. We should start by clarifying any basic questions people have before we launch into the clues and evidence. Would anyone like to throw something in?”

“So, we were all investigating different areas aside from the team of Amari and Yamato, who were guarding the crime scene, and Haru and Kouki, who were checking alibis.” Yudai’s tone made it very clear that he wasn’t asking a question and rather just stating the facts.

“In the end, it s-sort of became muddied...” Shohei admitted, “Kanna and I stayed in the Meeting Room, but people came in and out.”

“I certainly didn’t stay in the dorm area.” Marise snorted, “Far too boring.”

“You suggested that in the first place!” Kouki blurted, unable to contain her frustration, “Can’t you actually just be cooperative once in a while?”

“Fine. I’ll be cooperative. How about this. Mei is the killer!” Marise snapped back. “I know I’ve already explained to you, loser, but I’m sure your brain is weak from the chemicals of the paints you use, so I’ll just go through it once again. Mei has proven herself to be quick to cut. In addition, she is the only one who was subjected to the effects of the motive. She has first-hand experience in the horror of it. Do you deny this, Mei?”

“That I inhaled the gas? No.” She looked directly at Marise, almost through her.

“Afraid of having to experience it again, Mei killed Rikuto before the opportunity to be blasted again arose.” Marise snarled, pointing at Mei, “This loser did it!”

“Do you not have any concrete evidence?” Yudai spoke up, waving a hand in the air.

“I don’t, but Mei does. Evidence to incriminate herself.” Marise leaned forward, “So Mei. What did you find?”

“I found hair at the crime scene.” Mei’s calm attitude was off-putting to Haru. It was almost as if she were unaware of the accusations against her. Mei reached into her pocket and pulled out a pinch of black hair. Her gaze shifted between it and Marise.

“Is that what you were looking at on the ground?” Haru asked, recalling the event in his head.

“Yes.” Mei nodded and then placed the hair on the podium in front of her. Niseko, who was sitting on the edge of her podium rather than standing behind it, craned her neck to look at it. The clump was oddly even.

_ **Obtained Truth Bullet: Hair** _

_ **Mei found clumps of evenly cut black hair around the victim’s body at the crime scene.** _

“It matches your hair, Mei. It makes you suspicious!” Marise yelled, her voice loud enough to intimidate anyone.

_Nonstop Debate: Start!_  
_Truth Bullet: Hair_

MARISE: You found hair at the crime scene, Mei.  
MARISE: It’s ironic, isn’t it? You presenting your own incrimination.  
MEI: I found the hair, yes.  
KOUKI: Aren’t you going to try and refute it?  
MEI: Why?  
KOUKI: If you’re not the killer, we’re all going to be executed!  
MEI: I see.  
MARISE: There’s no point in trying to argue back.  
_MARISE: You must have snagged some of your hair trying to kill Rikuto!_  
MARISE: Am I wrong?  
MEI: You are wrong.

“No, that’s wrong!” Haru swept his hand in front of him, quite dramatically. “Just look at that hair, Marise. You’re not gonna get something that even during a struggle. Unless you’re saying that Mei decided to have a haircut after murdering him.”

“With how stupid she’s been acting? I wouldn’t put it past her.” Marise shrugged, “And give me a better reason? Just how did that hair get there, then?”

“Call it flawed logic, but the fact that the hair looks cut means it was deliberate. And because Mei was the one who found it, I highly doubt that she placed it there only to find it later.” Haru shook his head. “Besides... Mei. Could you hold up a bit of that hair next to your own?”

Mei nodded and did as she was told, to which Shigeru picked up, “Well, well. The hair is lighter than Mei’s. If it were darker, perhaps you could argue it. Plus, it doesn’t exactly look like Mei’s received a haircut, does it? Marise, don’t you feel that the color more resembles Riku’s hair?”

“It’s true we didn’t see under Rikuto’s mask until the investigation, so it’s not like we’d have noticed if some of his hair was shorter, but does that mean that the killer cut Rikuto’s hair?” Kouki brought a finger to her lip, “What would that accomplish?”

“I don’t think it was the killer.” Ami shook her head, “Haru, you said something very interesting if I recall. Something to the effect of Shigeru missing something, right?”

“That’s right. It was...” Haru glanced at Mei, “The scissors. Shigeru was missing a pair of scissors.”

“And where did we find the scissors?” Ami asked.

Confused as to why Ami wasn’t presenting her own arguments, Haru answered, “In Rikuto’s room, right? At least, that’s what Mei said.”

“Yes. They were on the desk.” Mei pulled the silver scissors from her pocket. A couple of strands of the hair clung to it, having been in the same pocket. “I am still very curious. Fujioka, do you mind if I borrow them?”

“Er, now doesn’t seem like the best time to ask. I can at least confirm those to be mine.” Shigeru smiled sheepishly.

“If the scissors were used to cut Rikuto’s hair and we found them in Rikuto’s room, what would that mean?” Ami turned her head to face the portrait of Rikuto, “Something along the lines of Rikuto cutting his own hair, am I right?”

“Wh-Why? Why did Rikuto do that?” Shohei frowned, staring intently at the scissors. “It seems a-a little more than unnecessary to me.”

“I admit. I’m not sure yet. But I think we’ve cleared Mei of suspicion for now and that was the original goal. Would you agree, Marise?” Ami rubbed her neck as she now faced the novelist.

“Are you looking at me, Miss Emo? It’s hard to tell under all that hair. How do you even see anyway?” Marise was answered with a silent, presumed stare, so she let out a huff, “Fine. Logically, I suppose you’ve proven Mei’s innocence. But I, personally, am not satisfied. It will take you finding another suspect to convince me.”

“With that out of the way... What next?” Nori was fidgeting with his hairpins, “We... We have tons of evidence, right?”

“Well, we found substantial evidence, though I’m not quite sure how it fits together yet.” Amari cracked her knuckles, “I’m a little concerned, however. Did you find anything, Nori? Being in the Auditorium, I don’t think you would’ve found anything.”

“I’m worried, too. I’m completely relying on you guys for this! I’m not that smart, so I can’t help with logic. And I don’t have any evidence.” Nori shook his head, grabbing his pigtails as he did, “I’m as good as useless.”

“I d-don’t think that’s true. Your help d-doesn’t have to come from the investigation.” Shohei quickly said, quicker still due to his natural energetic self, “P-Personally, I didn’t find much either because I-I was looking at the table with Kanna the entire investigation...”

“The... The whole investigation?” Yamato narrowed his eyes, “Well, yes, I suppose you were. I, of course, was watching. Haha!”

“We should choose one thing and focus on it for now,” Kanna said, rescuing Yamato from the many incredulous stares. “If we’re all over the place, we’ll get nowhere.”

“Let’s start with the body, then.” Amari exhaled, “I know the ones who investigated it were Ami, Mei, Haru, Kouki, Yamato, and myself, so we have plenty of different views.”

Very well, then. The body it is.” Kanna nodded and looked up at the others.

_Nonstop Debate: Start!_  
_Truth Bullet: Rikuto’s Body_

NISEKO: Poor Rikuto! He was a really good person.  
NISEKO: He was perfect for sitting on.  
KEROKO: Kero? Kero...  
NISEKO: It’s not fair!  
NISEKO: Dying so easily...  
_NISEKO: One blow and the deed was done._  
KEROKO: Kero!?  
MARISE: Appearances aren’t everything.  
MARISE: If you think so shallow...  
MARISE: Then you’re just asking to be killed!

“No, that’s wrong!” Haru’s eyes were trained on Niseko, whose legs were swinging below her. She looked back at Haru with her head cocked to the side, “I don’t blame you since the Monokuma File was so vague, but the body itself had other injuries aside from the killing blow. Namely, Rikuto’s arm was broken.”

“Oh, really!? I had no idea...” Niseko looked down, “So Rikuto fought his attacker? If that’s the case... Isn’t it odd?”

“Kero?” Keroko hopped onto her podium and then to Niseko’s, raised a fist, and softly punched it into Niseko’s arms. How lucky, Haru thought, that the two were placed next to each other. “Kero!”

“Yes!” Niseko nodded and placed her hands together, “Rikuto was the biggest person here and he was very strong! If he was given the chance to fight back... How did he lose?”

“Kero... Kero-ro.” Keroko looked at Yukari and continued speaking, “Ko kero ro keroko.”

“Ah, I suppose I must. ‘The options are limited.’” Yukari pursed her lips and, with a very bored expression, watched Keroko to translate.

“Kero... Keroko ko roke keroke. Ke, Kero!” Keroko continued and pointed at Amari. She turned her head to Yudai, “Ko kero.”

“‘So... Rikuto’s killer had to be someone equally or more powerful. Like Amari or Yudai.’ Fascinating choices.” Yukari placed her elbow on her podium and rested her head, “So, Amari. Yudai. You’ve just been accused, haven’t you?”  
“Well, I can’t say I have a strong alibi to counter it. But I assure you it wasn’t me.” Amari squinted in thought, “Since I’m innocent, there is either evidence to disprove me or evidence that implicates someone else.”

“Me as Rikuto’s killer? I feel that would make for quite the fascinating trial. However, my answer is mostly the same as Amari’s save for the alibi. Perhaps this will incriminate me in your minds, but I did happen to speak with him prior to the murder.” Yudai rose a finger in the air as he spoke.

“Yeah, but... I saw them together. They went into the Blue Hallway, not the Storage Room.” Nori piped up. He looked very hopeful as this was the only thing he could offer to the trial.

“And according to Yudai, he left before nine.” Kouki looked to be deep in thought. “And nobody saw Rikuto or Yudai after that, much less near the Storage Room.”

“You’re definitely suspicious, but if we’re on the topic of people who met with Rikuto that day... I think it’s time for me to reveal my suspect! As you have most likely surmised... since you aren't idiots... I have come to the conclusion that Shigeru is suspicious.” Yamato raised a fist in the air and Haru couldn’t help but notice that the ringmaster was leaning on his silver hoop. Did he really bring it everywhere? Even Nori didn’t have his poster here.

“Do Shigeru and I not corroborate each other’s alibi?” Yudai pursed his lips, “We did both see Rikuto, did we not?”

“We did, we did... But the difference is the timing. You saw Riku after me which means that, by the time we had finished our meeting, Riku was alive. No one saw him after you spoke with him, Yudai.” Shigeru looked downward, “But the evidence... It points to me. Is that what you’re going to say, Yamato?”

“Scissors, stray hair, closeness with the victim... What do you say to this, Shigeru?” Yamato shrugged his shoulders, as if indifferent to his own claims.

“I think... Well...” Shigeru hesitated, his eyes searching for a target in the room to stare at, “The scissors are mine. That’s true. Rikuto must have taken them from me, that is if what Ami says is true. I can’t begin to imagine why, though...”

“We can keep throwing around suspects all we’d like,” Amari sighed heavily, her gaze sadly on Shigeru, “But we don’t have the evidence to incriminate anyone yet. I think we need to go back to Rikuto. How exactly was his murder carried out? That is what we should be discussing.”

“I agree. We understand that Rikuto was killed by a blow to the head and that he had time to fight back and wounded his arm in the process. Yet we do not know any more specifics than that.” Kanna looked around at the others, “At least, no one has brought any more information to light.”

_Nonstop Debate: Start!_  
_Truth Bullet: Chair_

YUDAI: I feel as though there might be something revealing.  
AMARI: About what may I ask?  
YUDAI: The murder weapon.  
YUDAI: Should we figure that out, would it not say something?  
SHOHEI: L-Like if it’s something of the killers?  
NORI: Raya’s hoop!  
YAMATO: What!? Idiot! It wasn’t my hoop.  
NORI: Sorry... I just wanted to help...  
_AMI: The murder weapon wasn’t a personal belonging._  
KEROKO: Kero... Kero ko?  
YUKARI: “It wasn’t?” Something like that.  
NISEKO: Are you even trying to translate?

“I agree with that!” Haru said it after Ami had spoken her piece and she nodded slowly, “At the murder scene, there was a folding chair, battered and dented. Yamato found it if I recall.”

“Yes, that is correct. Glad you remembered, Haru!” Yamato beamed which made Haru ever so slightly uncomfortable, “It was shoddily tossed about in the back. I don’t think the killer hid it, but rather threw it aside.”

“Do you think that means the murder was not premeditated?” Amari folded her arms and frowned before looking at Yamato, “If it was planned, wouldn’t the murderer have brought their own weapon.”

“Why... Why are you asking me?” Yamato squinted at Amari and adjusted his glasses, “Do you think I know anything about murder?”

“Y-You mean it d-doesn’t happen all the time at the circus!?” Shohei gasped and when Yamato fired an evil glare at him, he shrunk back, “Sorry... That... That was a t-terrible joke.”

“I will have a word with you later, Shohei.” Yamato snarled and then whipped his head back to Amari, a smile once more on his face. “Now, please, continue.”

“Er... I... Hm, well. I was just asking if this meant that the murder wasn’t planned. If that’s the case, I can’t imagine it being Shigeru or Yudai. They both would have had chances to prepare.” Amari scratched her head, “Well, actually... This is kinda related. Yamato, do you remember the door?”

“Of course I remember the door. I’m not stupid. I was there. I even asked questions.” Yamato sighed, “Oh, are you trying to get me to say it? You shoulda just asked. Ladies and gentlemen, the door was welded shut.”

There was a low murmur and then Niseko spoke up, “Guys, I didn’t want to be the one to say it, but...” Niseko looked around nervously, “Doesn’t it seem like the one who had a murder plan was Rikuto..?”

** _THERE IS A BEAUTY IN MY DISBELIEF!_ **

“Don’t be ridiculous! Why would Riku want to commit murder?” Shigeru gritted his teeth, his hand clenched tightly in a fist.

“Rikuto’s morality isn’t the base question here. We need to know his motives in order to figure out who killed him,” Haru tried to explain, but he could see his words were getting nowhere with Shigeru.

_Rebuttal Showdown!_  
_Truth Bullet: Missing Scissors_

SHIGERU: This shouldn’t even be a consideration.  
SHIGERU: The one who died was Riku.  
SHIGERU: The person with the intent to kill has the advantage.  
SHIGERU: And I will give credit to Riku for being very strong.  
SHIGERU: If he wanted to kill, it would have happened.  
SHIGERU: But he was not that kind of person.  
SHIGERU: Deep down, Riku was a lonely guy.  
SHIGERU: He’s the last person who would’ve killed.  
SHIGERU: Why would he target people who were accepting to him?  
SHIGERU: That’s counterproductive, no?

_Advance!_

HARU: Like I said, I’m not questioning Rikuto’s morality.  
HARU: Even good people do terrible things.  
HARU: But if Rikuto did plan this, his reasoning is crucial.  
HARU: How we can advance this trial... Rikuto holds the answer!  
SHIGERU: Well, well. I thought you were brighter than that.  
SHIGERU: How must I put this?  
SHIGERU: Riku didn’t have killing intent. You have to understand...  
SHIGERU: If he wanted to kill, I would’ve been the first target.  
SHIGERU: Know your enemy.  
SHIGERU: If Riku was a killer, then I am foolish.  
_SHIGERU: I do not lower my guard for murderers!_  
SHIGERU: I can’t believe what I am hearing!  
SHIGERU: Haru, Haru... Please listen to yourself.  
SHIGERU: You are spouting nonsense!

“I will cut through those words!” Haru slammed a fist onto the table, “Wake up, Shigeru! The one spouting nonsense is you! You said it yourself. Rikuto stole your scissors from you, they were used at the crime scene, then found in his room. As a victim in a possibly spontaneous murder, would he have the time to go through all of that?”

“That is... Riku could have taken them for purposes other than that.” Shigeru shook his head, “I believe you are mistaken. I believe that with everything I have.”

“You should choose your beliefs more carefully. If you don’t, you’ll end up breaking your own heart...” Haru’s head and voice both dropped for a moment,

“If Rikuto didn’t plan this, how did the door end up welded? The craftsmanship of it was too fine for an amateur. We couldn’t tell if it was sealed from the inside or outside.”

“Oh dear, you couldn’t?” Haru’s head whipped up as he heard Yukari’s voice. Her face was soft and sympathetic and it made Haru’s blood boil, “Well, I can tell you the answer to that. As the one who opened the door, I have first-hand experience. The door was welded from the outside.”

Haru felt his jaw drop. He wasn’t expecting that answer and, suddenly, he felt the pieces begin to fall apart in his head.

“My... You seem at a loss, love. Perhaps we should take a little break to cool off.” Yukari grinned maliciously and Haru knew that Yukari had information that the rest of them didn’t. He suddenly remembered how she didn’t seem all that concerned when mentioning that the Auditorium had no clues, especially when compared to Nori, who was shaking in his boots at the thought of completely relying on others. No, Yukari already had her own entire theory. That much was certain. The psychoanalyst turned to look up at Monokuma, “That’s alright, isn’t it? Certainly, we’re not timed or anything silly like that. After all, you want to squeeze every bit of hope from us.”

“Upupupupu... You certainly know your stuff, don’t you?” Monokuma giggled, his hands covering his gruesome smile, “But what do you have in mind as a ‘break’, I wonder?”

“You wonder? Ah, but I wonder that, too.” Yukari narrowed her eyes, “After all if we’re not careful, we may end up backward. Kyahaha! Wouldn’t that be something?”

_Class Trial: Intermission_

\---

_Class Trial: Resume_

“We’re back, kiddos. Have enough of a breather? I sure hope so cause I wanna see you all fired up!” Monokuma raised his arms in the air, his grin wide.

“What... What does this mean?” Niseko shook her head. She looked at Yukari, “How could it be welded from the outside? Rikuto was inside!”

“I wonder...” She smirked and then shrugged, “I have no idea. But I’m sure you all have your own fascinating theories, yes? I would love to hear them all! Please, don’t mind me and continue on.”

“So, the door was welded from the inside. That must be the key to this case,” Haru muttered, half to himself. “How did Rikuto die? Which came first, the room being sealed or Rikuto going in? Both seem equally impossible.”

**Obtained Truth Bullet: Yukari’s Account**

**According to Yukari, who opened the Storage Room door, it had been welded from the outside, not the inside.**

“This certainly changes a lot. Could, perchance, someone else know the art of welding besides Rikuto?” Yudai suggested and glanced around. Nobody else said anything, so he continued, “Furthermore, Haru, I recall you saying that the precision was unrivaled. No one short of the Ultimate Welder could have done that fine of work.”

“So, the conclusion that we’re coming to is an impossible murder.” Yamato sighed heavily and a few others returned the sigh.

“It can’t be impossible. After all, it did happen.” Amari shook her head. “We aren’t thinking critically enough. If Rikuto did indeed plan the murder, we need to think like Rikuto.”

_Nonstop Debate: Start!_  
_Truth Bullet: Yudai’s Account_

AMARI: We need to think like Rikuto for any hints.  
SHIGERU: Like Riku, huh?  
SHIGERU: I’m still not totally sure about this.  
MARISE: Rikuto took Shigeru’s scissors.  
MARISE: Then after talking to Yudai about the motive...  
MARISE: He made his move.  
_MARISE: If Yudai was with him until his death..._  
MARISE: Doesn’t that make him suspicious?  
YUDAI: There is a hole in your argument, Marise.  
MARISE: Go ahead and prove it then, loser.

“No, that’s wrong!” Haru shook his head, “Out of everyone here, only a few have an alibi other than being in their room and waiting for the second period. Yudai was with Rikuto, but Yudai left his room around nine. Marise, when did the murder take place?”

“9:31.” She rolled her eyes, “Are you an idiot, Haru? Just because Yudai says he left doesn’t mean he actually did.”

“While this is true, I’m inclined to believe Yudai. At 9:45, Niseko started her patrol and saw nobody. Don’t you think it’s weird that she wouldn’t have seen Yudai? Rikuto was already dead at the time.”

“If it was impromptu, all the killer would have had to do was make sure there was no outstanding evidence and then leave. This could have easily been done within fourteen minutes.” Shigeru pointed out.

“Yes, but... Here’s the part that doesn’t make sense. Yukari said that the door was shut from the outside. There’s no way that Rikuto could have welded it and then found a way in. And he certainly couldn’t have welded it after he died. How can we say anyone committed this murder? Yukari, could you have welded that door shut?”

“Me? I’m not a welder, Haru. I could simulate it, but not weld it.” Yukari’s smile was slight but there, “Do you think I committed this murder? From your expression, I doubt it.”

“There’s something else bugging me,” Amari rose her voice. “I can’t be the only one. There was something at the crime scene that, quite frankly, shouldn’t have been there.”

That was...

“The torch?” Haru offered and Amari nodded, “That’s right. If the door was welded from the outside, how did the torch get inside? Yukari, are you telling the truth?”

“Of-”

“Easy.” Haru’s attention was taken from Yukari and brought to Mei, “The torch is the big object that Honda carried with him, correct? He slid it underneath the door and it landed under one of the... erm... shelves.”

“There was a hole in the door.” Ami nodded, “So the torch was put back in the room after the job had finished. But there was no way that Rikuto could have squeezed through there. I couldn’t fit and I’m smaller than him.”

“Kero... Kero kero.” Kero frowned and looked at Rikuto’s portrait.

“Yes... Isn’t that fascinating, love? Keroko is pointing out how it seems like Rikuto committed the murder through and through.” Yukari said, also staring at the portrait, “And yet, he ended up dead... How curious.”

“I believe that Honda had more responsibility than simply dying. You have said that he put up a struggle, however... I feel that something is off,” Mei drew her wakizashi, “Honda’s mask."

“It... doesn’t?” Haru frowned. What could possibly be wrong with the mask?

It had to be...

_Hangman’s Gambit: Ver.Sub_

**B**YSGIIOJG**L**DERFC**O**DSDEF**O**FDSFIEF**D**

“That’s it!” Haru suddenly looked up from his deep reflection, “You’re talking about the blood, right?”

“Yes, Tanioto. The blood does not match the body. The side of the head that had been hit was his right. And the arm that was broken was his left. The killer swing right to hit Honda. Even if he had attempted to deflect such a blow with his left arm, the force would have pulled it with the swing. Away from his mask. Yet, the bloodstains imply a strike to the left, not the right.” Mei demonstrated with her wakizashi as she spoke.

“All the right and left are confusing me.” Niseko groaned, placing a hand on her head, “I don’t understand.”

“If Honda was hit on the right side, the blood would have sprayed to the right, where the wound was inflicted. The bloodstains on the mask imply a strike to the left. Therefore, Honda landed a blow on his attacker and the blood on his mask is not his own.” Mei sheathed her blade once more and folded her arms, “Do you understand now?”

“I... I think so. Wait, what are you doing?” Niseko called out as Mei walked past Marise and Ami and stood in front of Yudai, “Mei?”

The ninja placed a hand on Yudai’s right arm and began to move upward. After she had reached his head, which she had to stand on her toes to reach, she dropped her hand and cocked her head, “You are uninjured.”

“I am,” Yudai answered. He had been calm through Mei’s entire pat-down. “Did you expect to find an injury caused by Rikuto?”

“If you killed Honda, yes. However, you do not have such injuries, therefore, the blood on his mask is not yours, Shimizu.” Mei said as she began to walk back to her own podium.

“We could just pat down everyone,” Kouki suggested. “It wouldn’t take too long and we’d find out the killer, right?”

“Like hell you’re touching me,” Marise growled and snapped her head away. Haru looked at her for a moment and then shook his head.

Shigeru raised his voice, “I can’t help but notice that nobody looks injured. Nobody was limping or anything.” He looked around and others nodded their agreement.

Mei, on the other hand, shook her head, “Then nobody is the killer.” Though it was a statement, Haru had a feeling that Mei meant it as a question. Was she truly so socially inept as to not know the difference?

“That’s impossible... Why is everything about this so convoluted?” Kouki threw her hands down, “Rikuto welded the door after he died, the blood on the mask is reversed, the killer who’s been injured is nowhere to be found.”

_Nonstop Debate: Start!_  
_Truth Bullet: Yukari’s Account_

KOUKI: There has to be something we’re missing.  
KOUKI: Something to tie it all together.  
KEROKO: Kero... Kero ko.  
YUKARI: “The door.”  
YUDAI: Welded... Then killed. This must be the order.  
AMARI: Are you sure? Logically, it has to be that way.  
AMARI: But Rikuto was inside while the door was welded.  
AMARI: Was there absolutely no way to get the body inside?  
KEROKO: Kero...  
YUKARI: “No...”  
NISEKO: We didn’t find any secret entrances or anything.  
_NISEKO: Rikuto was alive when the door was welded._  
NISEKO: We can’t dispute that fact!

“I agree with that,” Haru said, though half-heartedly. “We have to look at it like that. Rikuto was alive when the door was welded because he was the one who did it. If we look at it from that perspective... Maybe we can find something else.”

“Nngh.” Ami suddenly flinched, “There’s... There’s absolutely no one Rikuto’s body could have been placed in after the death, right?”

“That hole was too small. You saw it yourself, Ami.” Amari sadly answered, “It was big enough for the torch, but not Rikuto.”

“Something this impossible, are we sure it wasn’t Yukari?” Yamato frowned, “She can do impossible things.”

“What would I have to gain from killing Rikuto?” Yukari smiled a deceptively warm smile, “Escape? No, no, I wish to see just what the mastermind has planned, love.”

“I think... I think...” Ami gripped her podium tightly, “I don’t think Rikuto is actually dead.”

“What?” Nori suddenly squeaked, his eyes wide. “What do you mean? How can Rikuto not be dead? W-We saw his corpse! We saw... Everyone else is here. What do you mean!?”

“We never actually saw Rikuto’s face before his death. We have no way of actually identifying him other than what we’re told by Monokuma.” Ami looked at the ground, “Can we really trust that..?”

“If the big loser isn’t dead, that would make this case a whole lot easier.” Marise smirked, “Everything just works out then, doesn’t it?”

“If Rikuto isn’t dead, wh-why are we having a trial? Don’t t-tell me that Monokuma was deceived by this, too!” Shohei yelped and then glanced at the bear.

“Upupupupu...”

“I don’t think Ami is wrong.” Haru finally conceded, “With all of the evidence we have... Rikuto can’t be dead.”

“That corpse was very real. If it wasn’t Rikuto, then-”

_ **“YOU’VE REALLY HEATED THINGS UP!”** _

Haru froze as the voice of Monokuma pierced through the room. “You appear to be having difficulties choosing someone’s reasoning! I have the perfect solution!”

The ground underneath Haru lurched as it shifted. He shut his eyes, feeling a bit sick at the sudden movement and after it was done, he found himself in one of two lines. He was face to face with Kouki, who’d been the one to speak before Monokuma’s interruption.

“If you have an argument, now is the time to present it! Puhuhuhu! Is Rikuto Honda really dead..?”

_Split Opinion_  
_Is Rikuto Honda still alive?_

SHOHEI: Th-There’s no doubt about it. There was a **body** at the crime scene.  
MARISE: That doesn’t mean it was Rikuto’s **body**.

SHIGERU: I want to believe that he’s alive, but... This is too **outlandish**.  
YAMATO: What’s more **outlandish** is a teleporting body.

AMARI: I saw that body with my own eyes. It had to be **Rikuto**.  
AMI: We’ve never actually seen **Rikuto** without his mask.

NORI: But if he’s not dead. Then **where** exactly is he?  
KANNA: The question isn’t **where**, but rather what.

KOUKI: What? If you’re saying Rikuto is the real **killer**, that’s gotta be wrong.  
HARU: Nobody said Rikuto was the **killer**. He’s certainly alive, though.

_“This is our answer!”_

“There’s no alternative. Rikuto is alive.” Haru said as his podium resumed its original position. Keroko was poking around at the ground around her podium, a little frustrated that it seemed to be solid.

“Is that really the only option?” Yudai rose a hand in the air, “Is it not possible that

Rikuto was alive and then killed afterward?”

“Even if that is possible, what would that imply? That someone killed Rikuto and another person? We don’t know who that person in the Storage Room is.” Haru frowned as he said it, “But it’s not Rikuto.”

“If we just vote for Rikuto, won’t we figure all of this out?” Yamato shrugged before rolling his hoop back and forth.

Kouki slammed a hand into her podium, “We can’t be that hasty! If Rikuto _isn’t_ the killer, we all die, right? We have to be absolutely certain.”

_Nonstop Debate: Start!_  
_Truth Bullet: Niseko’s Account_

NISEKO: The time frame only matches up under very strict circumstances.  
MARISE: Rikuto “died” at 9:31...  
NISEKO: And I started my patrol at 9:45.  
MARISE: You sure nothing snuck past your sorry excuses for eyes?  
NISEKO: N-No! I only left that hallway when the second period would have started.  
YUDAI: Ten o’clock in the morning.  
YUDAI: The killer had fourteen minutes to commit their crime...  
YUDAI: And flee to a safe location.  
_SHOHEI: Th-They could have just waited until Niseko wasn’t looking._  
KEROKO: K-Kero!  
YUKARI: “No!”

“No, that’s wrong!” Haru glared in determination. They were so close. He could feel it. “Niseko has made it abundantly clear that nobody came in or out during the patrol. Rikuto had to go back to his room before she started her patrol.”

“So, in the rush, maybe he left some evidence. If Rikuto is really alive and really committed this murder, that has to be the case, right?” Nori looked sheepish as he said it, waiting for confirmation.

“We did go to Rikuto’s room” Ami pointed out, “There were things there and, now that I think about it, they could only have gotten there if Rikuto himself put them there.”

“These... scissors.” Mei held them up as she said it.

“Yes... Although, wasn’t there something strange there, too?” Ami was doing it again. Haru was absolutely sure that she knew what she was talking about but, with the way Ami was framing her words, he had to wonder if she didn’t hold much faith in her own deductions.

Regardless, she had to mean...

“That powder, right?” Haru offered and Ami nodded. To his surprise, Mei reached into her pocket once more and sprinkled some of it on her podium. Haru wrinkled his nose at the thought of everything that was in there.

“Ah!” Shigeru suddenly rushed over, “This is... This is foundation. You said you found this in Riku’s room? Maybe... Maybe the scissors weren’t the only thing taken from me...”

Right. And it had to be Rikuto to take it because...

“You said that you met with Rikuto to show him this stuff, didn’t you, Shigeru?” Haru brought a finger to his chin, “Other than that, no one else has really seen your makeup. Doesn’t that mean that Rikuto is the only one who had the opportunity to take it?”

“What... I guess so, but...” Shigeru’s head suddenly dropped, “Are you implying... Are you implying... Riku is... disguised as someone? Is that possible? Is Riku here!?”

The desperation in Shigeru’s voice hurt. Haru knew that if Rikuto was still alive, he was certainly the one behind the death. That hope in the cosmetologist’s voice... “I think so. Rikuto is disguised as whoever he killed.”

Aside from Shigeru, only one other person met with Rikuto that day and Haru had a strong feeling that it was related. He took a deep breath and locked eyes with that person.

“Yudai. I can’t help but point out... You haven’t made any metaphors since “Rikuto’s” death.” Haru's expression sat grimly as he uttered it. “You were the only one to see Rikuto besides Shigeru. If anyone is actually Rikuto, it’s you.”

“Me? I admit that would be a fascinating solution. If as a mask maker, my final move would be to pass on my own mask... It’s poetic.” Yudai shut his eyes, calm as ever. Haru almost didn’t believe his own words. Everything about Yudai was spot on aside from the lack of water metaphors. Could he really be Rikuto?

_Nonstop Debate: Start!_  
_Truth Bullet: Nori’s Account_

YUDAI: You claim that I am not Yudai, but Rikuto.  
YUDAI: However, if I am, that means that the real Yudai...  
YUDAI: Is the corpse in the Storage Room, correct?  
YUDAI: That corpse looks nothing like me.  
YUDAI: In order to prepare the corpse, there would need to be time.  
YUDAI: But Niseko never saw me.  
NISEKO: Huh? Something about that is weird  
KEROKO: Kero kero...  
YUKARI: “I agree...”  
_YUDAI: I met with Rikuto, but we stayed in his room._  
YUDAI: Nothing more than a talk over the motive.

“It’s time to stop lying!” Haru grit his teeth, “Nori saw you two together, so I don’t doubt that you met with Rikuto. However, what's odd is that very fact. Rikuto was with Shigeru and you were supposedly in your room. There would have been no reason for Nori to see you go into the Blue Hallway since both rooms are in there, to begin with.”

“This is true. However, I had been in the Dining Hall when Rikuto wanted to speak with me. Thus, we met up in the main hall.” Yudai responded.

“I guess I didn’t see if they started there. It was in passing,” Nori looked off to the side.

“If Rikuto committed the crime, it accounts for everything. The blood is reversed on the mask because Rikuto was wearing it when he killed his victim. He welded the door after leaving and dropped off the scissors in his dorm.” Haru nodded as he spoke, clarifying it to himself. “And there’s no one remotely close to Rikuto’s body type besides you, Yudai. In fact, it’s scarily similar.”

_ **“CRASH AND BURN!”** _

“Even the greatest vessels are doomed to sink eventually if their foundation is not solid. This game was fun, Haru, but I’m beginning to worry that you may, in fact, be making the wrong decision. I wish not to die for such a mistake.” Yudai narrowed his eyes and stared down Haru.

“On the contrary, I’d say your character slipped for a moment there... Rikuto.” Haru responded with newfound confidence.

_Rebuttal Showdown!_  
_Truth Bullet: Rikuto’s Mask_

YUDAI: Break character? Haru...  
YUDAI: I am the mask maker.  
YUDAI: If you must know, everything about me is a mask.  
YUDAI: My very existence is a character to be broken.  
YUDAI: If you do not drop this line of accusation.  
YUDAI: You will fall into the killer’s trap.  
YUDAI: Is that what you want? Do you wish death?  
YUDAI: Perhaps you wish death to the innocent.  
YUDAI: I wish not to die by your hand.  
YUDAI: So I will fight against you!

_Advance!_

HARU: Regardless if it is you or not...  
HARU: Voting for Rikuto is the right answer.  
HARU: We’ll learn the whole truth then.  
HARU: So I apologise if I am falsely accusing you.  
YUDAI: How can you even be certain that it is Rikuto?  
YUDAI: Perhaps you are correct.  
YUDAI: Maybe whoever I am is the killer.  
YUDAI: Would that satisfy you?  
YUDAI: I am warning you, though.  
YUDAI: I am Yudai Shimizu!  
_YUDAI: And I firmly believe that Rikuto did not commit this crime._  
YUDAI: I enjoy mind games, Haru.  
YUDAI: But this is a game that has overstayed its welcome.  
YUDAI: I think it’s time you rested.

"I will cut through those words!" Haru cried out with a sense of victory, “Because of the mask... Because nobody here is injured... Those bloodstains were reversed because the killer was wearing it. Now, don’t forget that Rikuto’s mask is a welding mask. It’s nigh impossible to see out of it and make out a figure.”

“At one point, you were convinced that someone was injured. What if I said that I was. Mei patted me down, but did you ever consider that perhaps I wasn’t facing Rikuto? She only examined one side of me, after all.” Yudai still seemed at peace and Haru wondered if that earlier slip-up was merely his imagination.

“You said my name...”

“Excuse me?” Yudai looked around for the source and eventually, his eyes settled on Niseko.

“I said, you said my name!” She suddenly shouted with surprising force, “Yudai never called me by my name. Anyone who paid attention to anything would have known that! Yudai only ever called me ‘doll’!”

“I have one more piece of evidence that proves Rikuto is alive.” Haru muttered, starting to feel annoyed, “Rikuto’s Monopad was missing. Why? Because he had to access his room. However, there was no Monopad in place of it. If I’m right, you’re carrying two Monopads. Rikuto Honda’s and Yudai Shimizu’s.”

“How fascination, but allow me to present my evidence.” Yudai pulled out a Monopad and tapped it on. Then he held it up, it showed the Monokuma File, “This says that the victim is Rikuto Honda. Why would it lie?”

“Why...” Just like before, Haru couldn’t help but be overcome with surprise when Yukari’s voice met his ears, “This trial would be quite boring if it told the complete truth, wouldn’t it, love?”

“That is a flimsy excuse.” Yudai shook his head.

No... Haru thought. Yukari hadn’t once told a lie during the trial. She wouldn’t start now. He had to back Yudai into a corner once and for all.

Panic Talk Action!

“I am Yudai Shimizu!”  
“Rikuto wasn’t the killer...”  
“If anyone, it was me.”  
“However, this is also not the truth.”  
“I must fight your claims.”  
“Do you wish your death?”  
“You’re leading right to it.”

_ABA AA BAB AAB B BBB_

“Your attempts are futile!”  
“I will die by my hand alone!”  
“Not yours. Not Rikuto’s.”  
“There is still time to reconsider.”  
“We have yet to cast our votes.”  
“Do you really believe this?”  
“All of you... Do you believe this?”

_AAAA BBB BA BAA AB_

“How could I possibly be Yudai if I am Rikuto?”

**YUDAI SHIM IZU’S MASK**

“It’s time to finish this!” Haru squeezed his eyes shut as he pointed at Yudai. Rather not Yudai, but Rikuto. “If Yudai is the victim, then his body is that which is in the Storage Room. Mei said that the corpse’s eyes were yellow and it’s true that there are others with that eye color. Yet I’d find it difficult to imagine Rikuto crossdressing to resemble Amari and Shigeru is much too small. Now, if we take into consideration that the corpse was Yudai’s, then that was a very different Yudai than we know. Yudai has purple hair, longer and styled into spikes. But that corpse had short black hair. So I reason that Yudai was wearing a mask of his own. A mask that you took, Rikuto!”

The mask maker stared at him for a moment longer and then dropped his head, “You make everything sound so simple. It’s not so simple, is it... Haru Tanioto Sir?”

“No... It’s not. And I imagine people are confused, so I will explain your crime step by step.” Haru bit his lip.

_Closing Argument._  
_Start!_

“This case officially started when Rikuto met up with Shigeru, at Shigeru’s request, to talk about makeup. Something about the motive disturbed Rikuto and he formulated a plan at that moment. While Shigeru’s back was turned, Rikuto stole his scissors and some foundation and then declared that he needed to talk to Yudai about the oxygen masks. He found Yudai and I assume he brought Yudai out into the main hallway. However, Nori entered at this moment and Rikuto was forced to stick by what he told Shigeru and instead brought Yudai to his room. After a bit, Rikuto invited Yudai to the Storage Room and grabbed a chair, swinging it at Yudai. Instinctively, Yudai reached out to block the chair, but Rikuto’s strength was too great and it ended up breaking his arm. It only took one more blow to kill Yudai. Blood splattered everywhere. On the door, the chair, even Rikuto’s welding mask. But even with the victim dead, Rikuto was far from finished. He tore off the mask that Yudai was wearing and trimmed his naturally black hair to resemble his own. He swapped clothing with the now-dead Yudai and took his Monopad, before leaving. In order to create an impossible murder, Rikuto punched out a hole in the door and then welded it shut, throwing the torch back into the room. He then returned to his own room where he stored the scissors on his desk and began to apply makeup to blend Yudai’s mask with his skin. Yudai’s clothes must have been bloody, however, so, at some point, Rikuto went to Yudai’s room, with Yudai’s Monopad and recovered cleaner clothes. He then joined back up with the group once Ami, Amari, and Yukari had discovered the corpse. Though at first the idea of an autopsy started him, Rikuto must’ve been pleasantly surprised to find that it read his name and not Yudai’s.”

“Only one person could have achieved all of this. Rikuto Honda, the Ultimate Welder... It was you!” Haru finished his speech pointing at the killer, who merely hung his head. It was over.

Haru heard an electronic beep as his vote was accepted and raised his head, regret in his orange eyes as he stared at the person he'd just sentenced to death.

Rikuto reached up and Haru could only grimace as the face of Yudai was peeled off and carefully laid on the podium. Quickly following were the black gloves and then looking back up at him was Rikuto's true face, full of a melancholic expression, "There is no doubt. Yudai Shimizu Sir knew he was going to die."

Rikuto no longer disguised his voice and Haru couldn't help but realise what a perfect impression he had done. "What do you mean?"

"He asked me why I had chosen him." Rikuto rubbed the back of his head, "I didn't answer, but after my first attack, he didn't fight back anymore. I think he understood my motive and agreed with it."

"Your motive?" Kouki spoke up, "In all of that chaos, we never discussed it."

"I'm sure you would never believe the words of a killer. However, after seeing the effects on Meiyo Ma'am, I didn't want to see that again. If it were me, perhaps it would've been different, but I couldn't take that chance." Rikuto glanced at Mei, "The light is... so bright."

"Riku, Riku..." Shigeru grit his teeth, his face scrunched up in pain, "I believe you! I have no choice... I know people. I understand them... Even if you killed Yudai, I still know you to be an honest man. I believe you..."

Footsteps clicked as Yukari strode up to Rikuto. Then she stepped as if climbing a stair and her body lifted up as if there really were something to support her. As Haru squinted, he could see a faint trace of the red smoke under her foot. Now level with Rikuto's face, she placed a finger on his nose, "I could have helped you, love."

"Helped?" Rikuto glared, "I didn't need-"

"Not with murder, don't be silly." Yukari patted Rikuto's head, something he clearly did not like, "With the motive. Preventing it wasn't a rule. Providing a false recreation of the filter... That would have been simple for someone like me. I wish you had consulted me... Then this mess would have never happened. But it's too late now. You have been branded the Blackened and it is time to atone for your crime."

She hopped back onto the ground with a curtsey and reclaimed her place. As she did, Rikuto pulled out a Monopad. "If I am to die anyway, I will protect Yudai's privacy." Confused, Haru watched as with a mighty yell, Rikuto threw it at Monokuma. There was a faint screech and then a deafening explosion. Monokuma was gone, but even as Haru realised it, another one crawled out from behind the chair.

"My, my. You must be eager for death." Monokuma tilted his head. "Very well, then. I suppose such formalities are redundant, but of course, there was a unanimous vote for Rikuto Honda, the Blackened!"

"Ah, but first. I feel it must be said. Even under his mask, Yudai Shimizu Sir kept the horns. He must have liked them if he simulated them in his mask." Rikuto blinked, as a joke from a stoic man will always go unacknowledged, then looked back at Monokuma, "It is as Nagakage Ma'am says. I must atone. But first, answer me this. Will that motive return?"

Monokuma stared back for a moment, "No."

"Good." Rikuto rubbed his head again, "Execute me."

"Riku, wait! Wait..." Shigeru held out his hand in vain, "Why... Why do you have to go?"

"It is written in the rules. Do not cry over it. It must be done," Rikuto looked back at the cosmetologist, "No one has ever tried to be my friend before. Now you have seen under my mask. I give you my thanks for reaching out to me. Let that be enough... Shigeru."

"I have..." Shigeru chuckled in disbelief and looked away, "I have never heard you speak so much. Why do you have to be taken away now? Did you not trust us all to come up with a plan? Riku!?"

"I... Trust. Hm..." Rikuto lowered his head. "Trust has always been difficult for me. Your passion reminds me of my father, Shigeru. Don't lose that fire."

"Don't you feel bad about this!? Don't you want to live!?" Shigeru cried out, avoiding Rikuto's words. Then his voice cracked into something more vulnerable. "Don't you..?"

"Yes." Rikuto sighed and then turned to walk toward his picture. With barely a push, he toppled it and took its place.

"Right! Well! If that's done, I've prepared a very special punishment for Rikuto Honda, the Ultimate Welder. It's punishment time!"

And even Shigeru was silent as, extending from an opening in the wall, a chain shot forward and clamped around Rikuto's neck. He stood there, his eyes shifting down toward it and flinched as there was a tug, not strong enough to pull him down, pressing into his neck. Then a second jerk pulled him backward. A large screen sunk down into the room and an image flickered to life. A live video feed showing Rikuto.

A Welder's Sparks - Rikuto Honda - Ultimate Welder

As the chains pulled Rikuto into the room, a large metal pole extended from the ground and more chains tied him to the pole. The ground shook as a gargantuan Monokuma stepped forward and grabbed the pole and stuck it into a large mechanism, Rikuto head-first. As the room heated up, Rikuto gritted his teeth. He was used to this atmosphere, but the movements made him sick. He was only barely holding in the thought of what was about to happen and the sudden jerk down and the sound of screeching metal made him instinctively yell out. The vibrations and movements were like some twisted theme park ride. A sudden drop down as the wire below him was fed onto a solid metal surface. Sparks flew into Rikuto's face and he coughed, unable to rub the stinging wounds. He had prepared to go out with dignity, but he squirmed against his chains, fear gripping him tightly in its cold grasp. For a moment, everything paused. His breath caught in his throat and time stopped. The pain vanished and he stared forward, blankly. Then a hot searing pain unlike anything he had ever known made him cry out in agony. He couldn't feel his feet and he couldn't look down to see anything other than sparks and fire. The pain traveled up his body and Rikuto felt like he was moments from blacking out, hot tears streaming down his face before evaporating. Finally, like a firecracker, there was one final burst of pain, everywhere in his body, lighting up his torso, arms, and head, then it was gone. There was no one left to feel the pain as the remains of a corpse continued to sizzle and vanish into the metal. Bones and blood instantly drying and cracking. Wiping his forehead, the Monokuma threw down the gun and admired his work. A recreation of a face wearing a welding mask.

Execution: Executed.

\---

  
\---

Haru couldn't feel his fingertips. His knuckles had gone white from clutching his podium and his ears rang with Rikuto's final scream. Suddenly gasping from holding his breath in sheer terror, he frantically looked around at the others. Kouki's head was buried in her podium, the shaking of her shoulders betraying her crying. Nori was crouching on the ground, hugging his knees. His face was a waxy white. Ami was turned away, clutching her ears through her thick hair. For the most part, everyone shared a sense of pure, utter despair.

His eyes continued traveling until he caught Shigeru. The boy looked to be in so much shock that he couldn't comprehend what was going on around him. His arms dangled loosely in the air and his legs looked as if they were barely supporting his weight.

"There are always tales of witches being burnt at the stake," Yamato said, covering the lower half of his face with his hat, "But this was something else entirely. To be made a mockery like that... Not even a murderer deserves that."

"A witch is doomed to die." Marise crossed her arms. Though she was putting on a brave face, Haru could tell by the way she squeezed her arms close to her body that she, too, was rattled, "A witch would supposedly float in water and so people were drowned as a test to see whether they were a witch. Of course, witches aren't real, so it was really just innocents dying."

"Fire and water." Kanna shook his head, "People are cruel. Whoever behind this is twice as cruel. Executing them is one thing. Mocking them while executing is another. Subjecting former friends to watch said execution is several steps too far."

"Er..." Niseko, who had been showing no emotion through her doll face, pointed at the ground, "How long has he been there?"

Keroko hopped over and Haru said that Shohei lay in a collapsed heap on the ground. Keroko poked and prodded his body, checking his pulse and breathing. Finally, she looked up, "Kero." and placed her hands under her head to symbolise sleeping. Shohei had passed out...

Of course, there was one other person besides Niseko and, now that Haru looked, Mei, who seemed unaffected, "Let this be a warning. Should you commit murder, you shall suffer a very similar yet very different fate. This is no dream. Two people who you once spoke with are now very much dead and however you wish to handle this situation is up to your own discretion. However! Think before you act selfishly. Even in death, we will feel poor Rikuto's influence and Yudai? Well, we hardly knew ye." Yukari turned toward the screen and reclined against her podium, "I must admit I am quite excited to see where this is headed! Kyahahahaha!"

"Shut up." Shigeru bared his teeth in anger at Yukari, "Shut up! You think we don't already know all of that? You're simultaneously taking this seriously and not and I don't like that. I don't think anyone does. Right now, you're just the same as that bear. And that bear killed Riku. In fact, I'd say that, even if Riku did the deed, he killed Yudai, too."

"I am in full agreement, Shigeru. I'm not here to oppose you. So I apologise if my mannerisms offend you, love." Yukari stood up straight and then bowed, smirking slightly. After a brief moment, she snapped her fingers at Monokuma, "If there is nothing else you wish to say, there is no point in remaining in your humid prison."

When Monokuma didn't respond, Yukari headed toward the exit, cackling softly as she did so. Hesitantly, a few followed her. Amari lifted up Shohei and also left. Eventually, the only ones left were Haru, Kouki, Nori, Ami, and Shigeru. Ami was the first to speak, "So... He's really dead? Rikuto is really gone?"

"You... You saw it, didn't you? You saw that terrible... thing..." Nori's speech was broken by the chattering of his teeth and his awkward breathing. He had stood up by now, but he was wobbling.

"I... We can't believe everything on a screen..." Ami turned away from Nori, her voice quiet, "Those screams were very real, though. I just... I don't want to believe it. I don't think it's fair to be put in a situation like this, be pushed to the extreme, and then be punished for it. It's not fair."

"No, no... It's not. And I wish that I had tried harder to understand Riku. I am full of so much regret." Shigeru sighed, "I might be crushed under it..."

"It's alright..." Ami murmured, then repeated louder, "It's alright. We can recover from this. At least until the next thing is thrown at us. Even though Monokuma told Rikuto that the motive wouldn't be repeated, nothing is stopping him from making a new one."

"I don't doubt that. We're dancing in the mastermind's palm. When they say jump, we say how high, no?" Shigeru scratched his head.

"Don't you wonder what he meant?" Kouki's voice jarred Haru out of the slight lull he'd fallen into, "Rikuto. When he said that he needed to protect Yudai's privacy."

"He threw Yudai's Monopad at Monokuma, blowing it up," Haru nodded. In hindsight, the act hadn't seemed odd to him, "There must have been some information on it that Rikuto didn't want us to know."

"Isn't there only one bit of information on our Monopads that are of any particular relevance to us?" Ami pulled her ponytail in front of her before pulling out her own Monopad. Her hair looked soft, Haru thought, like a blanket or a pillow. He realised as it crossed his mind that he really just needed to lie down. Yet this was a conversation that needed to be had. Ami then handed her Monopad to Haru. Confused, he took it. "Well?"

"What..." He tapped the screen and immediately drew his hand back, "Ow! It just shocked me."

"Oh jeez, I'm sorry." Ami stepped back a little, "How though..? They seem better crafted than that..." Her voice trailed off as if she'd just had a revelation, but she remained silent.

Haru watched the screen flash with Ami's name 'AMI YUMEKUU' and then load up the GUI that was familiar to him from his own Monopad. He went through some of the options, an electrical tingle running through his fingers every so often, and eventually shook his head, "Everything's the same as mine. So you must mean the name, right? Was Yudai's name... not on his Monopad?"

"Only Rikuto knew. And Monokuma, I guess." Ami took her Monopad back, "I find it interesting because Yudai and Yukari were talking about names a while back."

"I remember that..." Nori murmured, but left it at that.

"Is your Monopad okay? It's not malfunctioning or anything?" Haru scrunched up his face, "I was worried it might become an AED on me."

"I think it's fine. It's been like that since I got it. I suppose I'm just used to it now," Ami ran her fingers through her hair, "But hey, if I drop to an electric shock, you know what to blame."

Kouki frowned, "Maybe too soon to joke about dying. We really should go back, though. Staying here will just depress me even more. I just want to paint. Paint with bright, cheerful colors and not think about anything..."

Haru nodded at the idea of relaxing. Listening to some music sounded like heaven to him at that moment, "Do any of you want to come to my room? I can play some music and we can just... destress or something."

Nori looked away, saying nothing. He must've been feeling uncomfortable just being with others, so Haru opted to not press him. Shigeru shook his head, "I just need to think."

Ami sighed, sarcasm dripping from her words, "What better relaxation is there than the eternal swinging of the pendulum? I'm sure you agree, Haru." Then she smiled slightly, "No, but I think we all should take time alone for now. It will do us all some good."

He nodded his understanding, "Well, let's go." And the five of them made their way out of the trial room and back into the elevator.


	3. Testimony

“H-He... He _what!?_” Shohei was shuddering as Kanna filled him in on the details of what had happened to Rikuto. It turned out that Shohei had fallen asleep _before_ the execution. It had been so heated that no one noticed. Kanna had an inward sigh, he hadn’t been perceptive enough. He had to try harder.

The fourteen of them had gathered in the Meeting Room after some time alone and were now pondering their next actions. Two seats were distressingly empty and it felt as though a chill radiated from them. When they had gone to the Storage Room, Yudai’s body was gone. Simply gone. There was no trace. No blood, no hair, no mask, nothing. “...Just a bit longer.”

Kanna turned to look at Yukari, frowning. She was drumming her fingers on the table, looking very bored and Kanna wondered why they still invited her to their meetings. Of course, she was helpful when she wanted to be, but that wasn’t often.

“Puhuhuhuhuhu!” Monokuma’s echoing laughter was quickly followed by the center of the table spinning open. Nori flinched as the bear landed, dead center, “You know, Yukari... It’s almost like you’ve heard this story before...”

“Maybe... As our dear disguised welder would have put it, wouldn’t that be fascinating? Though, I had no idea he or Yudai would die so soon.” Yukari almost looked sad as she said it, “Yudai had a great many things he could’ve told us, particularly. And men like Rikuto always hide secrets.”

“Upupupu...” Monokuma softly laughed, though the volume made it even more creepy. “Right well, I came to tell you that there is a new option on the elevator! You can now go further into the SRS! Oh, but don’t worry, it’s definitely not a trap.”

“It’s not. That would be no fun.” Yukari responded in a sing-songy tone.

“You’re no fun!” Monokuma screeched and then vanished back into the table. Keroko hopped after him and began hopping in place where he’d gone, each jump rattling the table, but it was to no avail. She frowned in annoyance and returned to her seat.

“We should go explore that, then.” Amari said, sadly watching Keroko’s efforts. “There’s nothing left for us here.”

The others nodded or murmured their agreement. Niseko stood up on her chair and then hopped down, making her way toward the Auditorium exit. “Wait. What if it really is a trap? What if bow bitch is lying, too?” Marise held her arm out.

“I don’t think so...” Shigeru inspected his painted nail as he spoke, “Even if Monokuma and Yukari are working together, that exchange seemed genuine.”

“An elevator... That is the moving room in the Dining Hall.” Mei nodded, “How does it move? Is it magicial in nature?”

Ami swung herself out of her chair to walk next to Mei and put her hand on the ninja’s shoulder, “Not magic. It’s scientific. They use, er, electricity to move along a very strong rope of sorts that’s hooked in a large shaft. That is a long opening. Like a vent. Do you know what a vent is?”

“I have crawled through vents,” Mei’s face softened as she nodded some more, “I think I understand. But how does the electricity work?”

“Well, it goes through what is called a motor, which turns the electricity into energy that moves the elevator.” Ami continued. “I wonder, though, Mei? Why don’t you know all of this?”

“Learning is difficult. You need exposure. I live in a home where I train. I train until the next job arrives. From morning to sunset. My grandfather says I train too much, but there is no such thing.” Mei answered, surprisingly open and Ami nodded in understanding. “I have decided I do not like elevators. There isn’t enough space to move around.”

“You really must be claustrophobic.” Kouki muttered, pity in her large brown eyes.

“Some people hold fears that an e-elevator won’t stop when they tell it, too. Or that it might take them s-someplace they never asked. Humanising an e-elevator... I think you have to suffer from a-at least some paranoia.” Shohei picked at his teeth, “Paranoid Personality Disorder, Schizophrenia, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder... Paranoia. You don’t even need an illness to suffer from it. That idea that someone is always there... R-Ready to kill you. Always behind you...”

“Paranoia?” Mei cocked her head. At least, this time, her sword remain sheathed.

“The Placebo effect d-describes a phenomenon where w-we experience a beneficial effect through sheer willpower. We are g-given a little push and our mind does the rest. But there... There’s also the n-nocebo effect, which is the opposite. What if paranoia does that? What i-if we believe so firmly that someone is there. Isn’t that a delusion? Would this be what i-it means to die of fright?” Shohei held his arms close, he was quivering, like usual, but partly because he had just frightened himself.  
  
“That all came from elevators?” Niseko turned around, “That seemed more personal than just elevators.”

“Don’t drop dead on us, Shohei.” Yamato grumbled, “We’ve had enough of that already. Anyway, I’m going to the elevator now. Feel free to join me!”

“Oh, wait! There’s something I need to check first,” Ami suddenly perked up and she dashed out the other door to the hallway. Mei frantically looked around before pursuing the hypnotist. Haru narrowed his eyes at Ami’s sudden outburst, but got up to follow Yamato. It only took a bit before everyone else did the same.

Eventually they reached the elevator, “Do we wait for Ami and Mei?” Amari asked, glancing around at the others. Yamato had already entered the elevator.

“The curtain only stays open for so long. They can join us later. For now, you all must join me!” He laughed and beckoned everyone into the elevator. There was a single button: Down. Once everyone was safely in, Yamato reared back his hand and then pressed it with a flourish. Slowly, the elevator sank down once more.

_Ding!_

The doors opened, this time not to the trial ground. Yamato exited the elevator to see rows of cubicles, like an office space. Confused, he looked around. It was just what he’d expect to find in a cubicle. There were eight in all and Yamato turned back to the group, “Well? We should explore.”

“This was the last thing I expected...” Nori said as he glanced around, “After what was upstairs... Why would this be in a shelter?”

“People need to get work done somehow, I suppose.” Amari responded, touching one of the partitions, “It feels a lot homier than upstairs. At least this room does. I imagine it’s because the entire room isn’t solid metal.”

“There’s a door over there,” Kouki pointed. Looking around, it was the only door in the room aside from the elevator. She wandered around for a moment, “Maybe we should split up again to cover more ground. Some of us should go through the door and some should stay here.”

“Kero. Kero ko kero.” Keroko pointed at the door, too. “Ko ko keroko” She then held up one finger on one hand, three on the other.

“‘We should split up. Groups of three.’ And one should stay here?” Yukari was sitting on top of one of the cubicles and Keroko frowned. When did she get there? “An interesting proposition. I don’t mind it.”

“I’m surprised you came.” Kanna shook his head, “But yes, there are twelve of us here. Four groups should be good. Let’s see... Probably... Niseko, Keroko, and Marise... Haru, Yamato, and Nori... Myself, Shigeru, and Amari... That leaves Kouki, Shohei, and Yukari.”

“Well, then. I’m the odd one out, aren’t I? The black sheep, you could say.” Yukari glanced at her two partners, Shohei averting his gaze. He understood, though. Kanna had attempted to divide them up by classmates. However, no one knew which class Yukari had belonged to and it just so happened that the only others who had been in that class were Ami, who was upstairs, and Rikuto, who was... well, dead.

In partnering people with former classmates, Kanna had created groups in which people were familiar with their group mates strengths and weaknesses. Shohei was impressed. It seemed Kanna really was quite talented, “I-I suppose that works. I’ll deal with it.”

Kouki bit her lip, but nodded slowly, her eyes trained on Yukari. “But who’s going to stay here?”

“Alright, alright. I’m going to put our group on the chopping block,” Shigeru raised a hand, “Just from observation, Kanna prefers to pick out details than move on and Amari would probably like to stay near the exit, watching it. Or am I wrong in that you’re concerned with Ami and Mei being alone?”

“That is quite accurate. As expected,” Amari nodded and Kanna did a small bow, expressing his agreement. “The rest of you will move on then. Do your best.”

As the room emptied, Kanna raised an arm, “Well, I suppose we should inspect everything we can. This room seems quite convoluted, even for just a simple office space.”

“If we’re to investigate, I think we should do it in a timely manner, don’t you agree, Kanna?” Shigeru poked Kanna in the arm in jest. He was doing all he could to keep himself together after what had happened, but it felt like it wasn’t enough, “Ah, ah... Anyway. I’ll look over here.”

Shigeru rounded a corner and entered one of the enclosed spaces. There was a chair and a desk, of course. An old-style bulky computer monitor sat on the desk, but as Shigeru fiddled with it, he realised that the power cord had been cut clean off. This computer wouldn’t be turning on any time soon. Some papers were scattered, all blank, and there were basic office supplies. Pens, a stapler, tape... Nothing useful.

Amari, meanwhile, sped through the cubicles, noting how each of them had the same layout. Typical, of course, for an office space. Her eye was caught by one paper, however, as she sped through. It had writing on it and she reached in to grab it. On it seemed to be writing. Or at least, a single word, in romaji. “Suisei?” It was a name, that was for certain, but Amari didn’t recognise it. She folded the paper up and kept it with her as she moved on.

Kanna couldn’t help but notice that even Shigeru had moved on. There really seemed to be nothing special about what he was looking at, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that he was overlooking something. Deciding to compare it to another cubicle, he moved to the next one. He squinted at the computer as he did. This one did have cables. Rushing over, the prodigy hit the ‘on’ button, but of course nothing happened. It wouldn’t be that simple, “Hey, guys. Have any of the computers you’ve seen been functionable?”

“No, no. They’re all clipped,” Shigeru responded. “Each and everyone. Very thorough, I must commend the mastermind.”

“Well, except this one.” As Kanna said it, Shigeru and Amari made their way over. He motioned toward the monitor and Amari tapped the side of it. “I don’t think it’s going to do anything, but we should keep it in the back of our minds.”

“I agree,” Amari nodded. Having a working computer would be much too easy and she had a more pressing matter, “Do either of you know anyone named Suisei?”

Kanna shook his head. He made a point of remembering names, but he’d never met someone with a name as strange as Suisei. Shigeru followed suit and Amari sighed, unfolding the paper to show them, “I found this on a desk and it must be a clue, but I’m not sure what to. Whoever Suisei is, though... They must be important.”

“Our captor, maybe?” Shigeru scratched his head, “If they knew that no one here would recognise their name, leaving it might be a way to rile us up. That’s the best I got anyway. Like the computer, we shouldn’t worry about it for now.”

“I suppose that’s fair,” Amari said, folding her arms, “Aside from these two things, this room looks relatively empty.”

“Yeah...” Shigeru sighed, “Maybe we should move on.”

\---

“No matter how much I look at it, I don’t know what it is,” Nori was leaning on the back wall, taking in the surroundings. His group had been the next to stay, as such, they were in the room just past the Office Room. This one was much bigger, with six large, rectangular glass compartments, each reaching the ceiling, like giant glass pillars. There was a metal panel on the side of each one that looked like they might be control panels, but Nori had no clue what any of it meant.

“Perhaps people go inside of them. That wouldn’t be too different than a circus trick,” Yamato knocked on the glass of one of them, but it was quite sturdy. The corners were stabilised by metal, but there were no visible doors.

“Circus tricks for the most part are safe.” Haru exhaled as he turned toward Yamato, “I’m not sure if, knowing Monokuma, these are. I’ve never seen anything like them and I’ve certainly never heard of anything like it in a shelter before.”

“I doubt any of us have been in shelters.” Nori shook his head, then looked at Haru with weary green eyes, “But don’t they kinda look like... those things in sci-fi bio labs? Except these are much bigger, not round, and not filled with water.”

“Kinda..?” Haru shrugged, “I’m not really sure what they remind me of. This room does give me a bit of a science fiction feel though. I mean, most sci-fi is just a distortion of reality. A lot of what-if questions where we explain away discrepancies with science not yet discovered.”

“...Huh?” Nori stared blankly at Haru.

“Consider this situation. In the future, you have achieved the position of prime minister. This is the far future where there are no more rural areas. Everything is shiny, lit up by lights powered by a different energy than we know.” Haru waved his hands as he spoke, attempting to paint the picture. “One day, you find a strange device, just in your room. It’s technological in nature, but you have no idea what it does.”

“Where are you going with this, Haru?” Nori frowned, “I don’t like this idea at all.”

“The device you find. What do you think it would do, Nori? It can be anything at all.” By this point, Yamato had stopped fiddling with the glass and was now interested in what Haru was saying.

“I guess I’d want the device to ensure that there is peace. Something that can help keep good relations. But that’s too much for a small device.” Nori frowned even deeper.

“Perhaps the device you’ve found sends transmissions through radio waves that have a pacifying effect. Everyone who hears it has no desire to fight. You see, this could be an amazing set up for a science fiction story that I just came up with based on you winning an election. I blew it out of proportion and added in an object that achieves seemingly magical effects through scientific means.” Haru smiled softly as he patted Nori on the back, “Of course that device could have disastrous consequences... Anyway, work backward from that and eventually you’d get back to a prodigious politician. It goes both ways. In order to realise a world like that, we need to start somewhere.”

“I’m not sure what your tale was explaining, exactly, but it was magnificent,” Yamato laughed, “I guess you’re saying to take the sci-fi ideas Nori has and dumb them down into realism, hm? Perhaps it’s not a bad idea.”

Nori looked at his hands and then back at the containers. Maybe he could imagine something better of them than the fears in his mind. Just maybe.

\---

“Th-This room is...” Shohei placed a finger on his forehead, his face scrunched up, “Well, it’s a laboratory, I-I got that much. But... Why?”

The barista had done a preliminary scan of the room and everything seemed relatively normal. Though it was, indeed, a laboratory, it didn’t seem to be for any crazy experiments. There were rows of tables and shelves full of lab equipment. Yukari was messing around with a beaker, looking quite bored, and Kouki was fiddling with a Bunsen burner. It was a chemistry lab, it seemed, and although Shohei could think of a million different poisons that could be concocted here, it was far from the dangers he expected.

“Why are we asking why anymore? The reason there is a laboratory in this shelter is the same as there being a kitchen. It has a use.” Yukari set the beaker down, “In the end, it’s all fun and games anyway.”

“Fun and games?” Kouki froze, the flame burning in front of her, “This is fun and games to you? People have died and you think this is-”

“I really don’t like cutting people off, but you are repeating yourself quite a bit much for my taste, love.” Yukari waved a finger in the air as she walked over, “You misunderstand. The deaths of Rikuto and Yudai were not fun, but they were part of the game. You may call it whatever you’d like, but this has been labeled a ‘Killing Game’ and you can’t change that. As for the fun, I’m just thinking like the mastermind would think.”

“The mastermind.” Kouki frowned and leaned back against the counter, “Why would you need to do that? Why would you even want to?”

“Know your enemy. Think like your enemy. Once I learn how the subconscious of the mastermind works, I win.” Yukari grinned maliciously and there was a click behind Kouki. The artist turned quickly to see that the flame had been turned off, “Sorry, love. Was afraid your cute uniform would catch. Do be careful around fire...”

“Rikuto _melted_ and you’re telling me to be careful around fire!? Your mind is so incredibly twisted... I can’t even begin to understand you!” Kouki stepped back, afraid that her anger might grow and lash out. Yukari was the last person she wanted as her enemy.

“Oh, but I understand you very well. And in understanding you, I understand how you fail to understand me.” Yukari turned away from Kouki and instead cocked her head at Shohei, “You are a little more mysterious to me. You appear and act so frail and yet... Hm. I must admit, Shohei, I am rather disappointed you did not witness the execution. Such a striking death might have allowed me to glimpse into your psyche a bit more.”

“I... I think I also w-would have preferred to see it. I feel like I did Rikuto a d-disservice by not watching his final moments.“ Shohei glanced down at the floor, “But what do you mean y-you understand Kouki? What exactly do you understand?”

“The way that she thinks, naturally.” Yukari plucked a test tube from a shelf and filled it with tap water. Next she picked up a thin strip of paper, dipped it in, and threw it at Shohei with aerodynamics that a wet piece of paper should never have. “What color is the paper?”

“Uh... Green?” Shohei grabbed the paper between his index finger and thumb and carefully placed it on the table as Yukari dumped another liquid into the water and repeated the process. “Red?”

“Yes, yes. This is a pH reader. Red indicates a high acidity rating, green is neutral, and this one...” Yukari had filled a separate tube with a third liquid and placed another paper in, “Is purple and is a basic rating. Shohei, what happens if I mix these two liquids?”

“Umm...” He bit the side of his mouth, “It would become neutral? Er, p-probably more basic since you mixed the acid with water.”

Yukari did so and then used a fourth strip before showing it to Shohei. The color was teal-blue and she smiled, “Very good. Now imagine that Kouki is this basic liquid. A fourteen on the pH scale. Say that it represents her optimistic nature. If I were to add any acid, it wouldn’t immediately sour the atmosphere, would it? It would bring things to neutral. In this way, Kouki functions as a pacifying force in this swarm of increasingly negative emotions. However, add too much acid and, eventually, the basic liquid won’t be detected any longer.”

“I feel offended and I don’t even know why. It’s probably just because you make me uncomfortable,” Kouki shook her head, “Ugh. I don’t think you know anything about how I think, Yukari. But you’re awfully good at pretending.”

“Fake it until you make it, love,” Yukari winked and Shohei frowned, unsure if the psychoanalyst was referring to herself or to Kouki. 

Shohei shook his head, looking for an excuse to change the conversation, though he had a feeling most would end up the same way, “Is there anything we missed in here?”

Kouki simply looked away while Yukari raised a hand, “Do you remember when I said I could have solved the last motive? I’ll admit, I’m a bit worried because, well, you know those glass compartments out there?” Yukari pointed toward the one door out, which led to the Observation Room, where Haru and his group had investigated, “I can’t open them. I find it very strange, myself. It’s rare when something like this happens and I’m not quite sure why.”

“You can’t open them? You tried?” Kouki turned back, suddenly interested, “When?”

“I’m always doing everything I can, love.” Yukari smirked, “I’d love to investigate them in person, though. Perhaps when Haru is done... Kyahaha!”

“I see you still have that weird fascination with Haru...” Kouki grumbled, but as Yukari’s ice-cold gaze bore into her, she realised that, having partnered with Haru multiple times, Yukari might feel the same way, in reverse. To her, Yukari’s obsession seemed foreign and alien, but perhaps it was more simple than Kouki thought.

\---

Niseko waddled forward, ahead of Keroko and Marise, to take in her surroundings, “Hmm. I didn’t expect there to be so much left!” She had made her way to a shelf. In fact, the room was lined with so many shelves, it seemed like a maze. Each shelf was jam packed with what looked to be files. In between the gaps of the shelves, Niseko could see two more doors on opposite ends of the room.

“Kero. Kero kero.” Keroko pointed at Niseko, then to one door. Then to Marise and another door.

“Three of us, presumably three more rooms. Is that what you’re saying?” Marise folded her arms, “Fine, loser. But I don’t want this room.”

“Okay, I can do this room.” Niseko nodded, “So you two have to pick.”

“I’ll go that way.” Though Marise didn’t know what direction it was, I can assure you that the door she chose faced north. Keroko nodded as well and began to hop to the south, giving a soft ‘kero’ with every leap. A moment passed where Marise stared at the doll before striding to her own door. 

Now alone, Niseko peered up at the large shelves. She had thought that, maybe, Setsuka could be on this floor, or rather, Setsuka thought that. But having looked around, she’d quickly realised that the feel of the second floor was different than wherever she was. Stretching to reach the lowest shelf, Niseko pulled out one of the files. She flipped through it for a moment before shaking her head. It was full of nasty pictures of corpses. Each one having been impaled by something. Though Niseko did not reflect much emotion, behind the mask, Setsuka surely must’ve frowned as she read the title of the file and understood just what the files were. ‘Impalements’, it said.

Something hit her and Niseko suddenly began to scour the files. She ripped one out, ‘Stabbings’, and quickly skimmed through it before shaking her head and replacing it. There had to be at least fifty more files just on stabbings. However, some other files were more specific and she began to read them before she found another, smaller section. ‘Mutilation’. One of the files was sticking out very slightly and she knew straight away. That was the one she was looking for.

Why was this section smaller, she asked herself. Surely mutilations occurred from stabbings at times, but it seemed more realistic that mutilation would occur quite often in forms of serial killings and such. As she picked through the various pictures in the file, her stubby fingers grasped one. In her surprise, she dropped the file, spilling the contents out onto the floor. Part of her had known it would be there, but actually seeing it frightened her.

Without care for the photo, she folded it up so that it would fit under her shirt and tucked it inside. She didn’t care about anything else that the File Room might have had to offer. Only that specific picture. Now that she had it, she felt relief once more. There was no need to look at any more files, after all, they were all just corpses. Well, she thought, maybe it might be safe to just make sure there was nothing out of place. Thankfully, Setsuka was a very patient person and was one of the few with the capacity to sit and look through rows upon rows of files if given enough time.

Time not being infinite, however, she would have to settle for when her partners returned and, thus, the doll got to searching.

\---

Marise wrinkled her nose as she opened the door and saw the room she’d assigned herself. Harsh scents of cleaning solutions burnt her nostrils and buckets and mops made it evident that this was some sort of custodial closet. It was fairly large for what it looked like, however and she made her way to a desk. It would’ve looked out of place if not for other, similar desks. She opened a drawer and found a huge stack of printer paper. She turned her head to look back the way she came and, sure enough, there was a printer sitting on yet another desk.

“What the heck?” Was all she could say as she continued opening drawers. Crayons along with sponges. The room was some mash up of an art room and a custodial closet. The best compromise the author could think of was Supply Room.

Almost without thinking, Marise grabbed a piece of paper and a purple pen and began to draw two symbols. The first was the symbols that Yudai bore on his gloves, the school crest of Neptune’s Trident School. Being completely honest, Marise had no idea what it was or even where it was. A school named after Neptune sounded dumb to her, at any rate.

The second symbol she drew was the one on Rikuto’s apron. His school crest, which as previously stated, was of the Rumbling Boulder High School. It made more sense, Marise thought. Rikuto certainly looked like a boulder. Perhaps rude of her, but Marise thought no different of the dead than she did the living. Why should she?

With the first step done, Marise bit her thumb until she could taste the metallic tang of blood. She glanced at it for a moment before using it to X out both symbols. Morbid as it was, it would be her way of remembering Yudai and Rikuto. “I’ll probably lose it anyway, so whatever,” she mumbled to herself as she pocketed the paper and headed for the exit. “A completely pointless room.”

\---

Keroko initially had trouble with the door. It was heavier than she expected and, in the end, she had to kick it open. She was more than used to her strange muscle distribution. The way that her arms seemed to carry no power and in exchange, her legs were very defined. As the door creaked open, the heavy metal slab it was, Keroko had to avert her eyes as something caught light and nearly blinded her sensitive red eyes. One of the perks of having frog and human attributes was her ability to see very well, but it also meant that she had to take care with light.

With her head low to avoid the initial glare, Keroko eventually looked up at the room she’d just entered. A low rumbling quickly diverted her attention and she snapped her head back around to see both the door she’d entered from closing and a large, circular thing roll in front of it. Curious, Keroko approached it and found that next to the circular portion, inset in the wall was a button. She hit it and the two layered door opened once more before closing after a set amount of time.

Satisfied that she wasn’t trapped, Keroko resumed her investigation. Lining the walls were rows upon rows of shelves made of metal, each with a keyhole. Of course the scientist had seen many similar things. It seemed like this was a vault of some sorts. Red lights indicated that they were locked and she tested her hypothesis by attempting to open one, with no results, of course.

There was one, however, that had a green light and Keroko hopped over to that one. As she placed her hand on it, it slowly opened up, revealing sparkling gold. So, it seemed the vault was for money. Keroko sat down, pondering it. While money was enticing to most, she could safely say she had no interest. And even if she did, here, in the SRS, it was useless to anyone. She had to wonder, though. Who would have the most greed? Not Mei, who knew nothing of the world’s riches. Perhaps Yamato. He seemed most interested in superficial material objects.

As Keroko slowly stood up again and headed for the exit, one final concern weighed heavily in her mind. This room would be an ideal room for murder. Having just been in there, Keroko had that impression and she had a feeling that the room had either been designed or manipulated to be that way. Of course, there was no real grounds to assume that, but she had long learned that in a place such as this one, there was no room for logic except in the trial ground.

With a cloudy melancholy over her head, Keroko left to join her partners.

\---

The twelve of them had gathered back in the Office Room and were just gathering to share what they had found when a ding from the elevator drew their attention away. The doors opened, painfully slowly, and out stepped Mei, followed by Ami, the latter speaking. “We came at the right time, huh?”

“We just finished the investigation of the second floor. Apologies that the second act had to commence without you two.” Yamato shrugged, twirling his hoop in the air.

“Without us?” Mei cocked her head, “We investigated the first floor.”

“We... We already did that, didn’t we?” Nori frowned and glanced at Ami, confused.

“You’re talking about the lockers, then?” Ami had realised by now that Yukari seemed to have two modes. Cooperative and not. This was her being cooperative and Ami nodded in response to her question.

“That’s right. I had a feeling that two of them would be unlocked and so I went to investigate. Sure enough, I was right. I didn’t expect to find what we found, though,” Ami held up a slab of metal. Kanna was the first to approach, taking it from her. On the slab was raised metal that he recognised was the result of welding. It seemed as though it were an arts and crafts project.

Made in finer detail than should be possible for welding was a scene that Kanna recognised to be depicting a funeral. Two figures stood at either side of a portrait with tiny crafted flowers adorning it. Flipping it over, he found two words, ‘To Mother’. “Hey... Shigeru. I think you might want to see this.”

At the sound of his name, Shigeru approached, but quickly slowed once he got a view of what Kanna was holding, “That... That... Was that Riku’s?”

Kanna nodded solemnly and then turned to Ami, “This was in a locker? One of the ones outside the dorms?”

“That’s right. But that wasn’t the only thing we found. Mei, the photograph?” Ami turned as Mei looked up. It seemed she had been looking at the very thing she was meant to show. Her red eyes were narrowed and she looked back down at it once more before handing it to Ami. “Ah, by the by... Shigeru, I think you should keep Rikuto’s picture.”

“I see, I see... I suppose I shall,” His voice was quiet, but he took the slab from Kanna. At least, now, he felt like his efforts weren’t for nothing. He had gone with the intention of raising Rikuto’s confidence. He’d given it everything he could and then lost it all. Shigeru couldn’t help but wonder how Rikuto felt about him.

Surprisingly, Mei was the one to take the lead on the photograph, “This is Shimizu.” She pointed to a boy with short dark hair. Two long locks stuck up like horns and Shigeru remembered what Rikuto had said about Yudai’s hair under the mask. “This is someone I am unfamiliar with.”

The other boy sported messy blonde hair and a freckled face. True to what Mei said, he was unfamiliar. Yudai held his familiar oni mask and the other held a paper, unreadable from the distance at which the picture had been taken. Mei then pointed to a splotch on the paper, “This is the picture of Hope’s Peak Academy.”

“The crest.” Ami quickly corrected and Mei nodded her approval, echoing her words.

“The crest, yes.” Mei then stepped in front of the picture and her expression deepened even more, “He has an ultimate talent, yet he is unfamiliar to us all. The picture is unlike other ones I have seen. It is similar to pictures that grandfather keeps, not like pictures I see in other people’s houses or electric things. It is old. And it is torn.”

She moved aside again and, true to her word, a corner of the photograph was missing. “Mei thinks that the picture was torn on purpose and that the missing piece has something important. I’m not sure if I completely agree, but I do think it wouldn’t hurt if we had it.” Ami handed the photo back to Mei, who tucked it inside her jacket. “But one thing is clear. If one of us dies, one of those lockers unlocks. And in each of them is something relating to us.”

“Ominous. I-I don’t think I like that.” Shohei muttered.

“Ah, I have a question. Sorry for the interruption but I’m afraid I’ll forget if I don’t ask now.” Amari piped up, “Have any of you heard of the name Suisei?”

Nobody had a real answer. Merely muttering to those around them, giving similar answers of unfamiliarity. Mei, however, narrowed her eyes even further. By this point, she almost looked angry, “The sounds of the name are unfamiliar and yet... Sui... Sei.. Sui... Sui...” Mei repeated the sound before turning and walking back into the elevator.

“Wait, Mei, don’t you want to hear what--” Ami was cut off by the door and she sighed, “Alright, then... I guess we should start. What did you guys find?”

The students each exchanged what they had found. Of course, the most startling discovery was the File Room that Niseko had investigated, though she had opted not to tell the group about the photo she had taken. The Vault had a couple eyebrows raised, though Yukari, who’d been translating, was quick to share what Keroko had quickly surmised. Money was useless to them.

In the end, most were just disappointed. There were no exits on this floor, though none could say they weren’t surprised. Eventually the group went back through the elevator and dispersed. The mood was still low after the trial and exhaustion hung over the students like a cloud.

Haru watched as they went their separate ways, but one person hung around in the Dining Hall... Or rather, one doll. “Niseko? Aren’t you going back to your room?”

She turned to look at Haru. He was well used to her by now. The idea of an animated doll wasn’t quite as terrifying. “I thought about it. But there’s nothing for me to do there. I was thinking about how Monokuma easily gets from place to place and I thought maybe I could investigate that. Er, Haru? Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Oh, sorry. It’s just... I’m really curious about you,” He admitted and awkwardly brushed his bangs to the side. “You differentiate yourself from Setsuka, right? But aren’t you the same person?”

“Ah! I see. You’re curious about our relationship and why Setsuka is using my name rather than hers. Well, I have a lot of sentimental value to her. Setsuka’s father is gone... It was tragic, but he left behind a doll for her. You could call it... Niseko 1.0. Beta Niseko? I dunno.” Niseko put her hands together and continued, “And that was the first doll she owned. But that’s not me. Beta Niseko spurred Setsuka to pursue the craft and she made her whole family as dolls. But they were all just normal dolls. What Setsuka really wanted to do was make a doll that could move on its own.”

“Like you?” Haru folded his arms and went to sit in one of the chairs.

Niseko followed him and clambered to the top of the table to be more level with Haru, “Yeah! Like me. In fact, that’s exactly what she did. Once master got better at making dolls, she made me in the image of Beta Niseko. Well, the other dolls were left behind at home and I went with Setsuka.”

“So you can’t think on your own, right? All of these words and thoughts are Setsuka, right?” Haru tried to choose his words carefully, but he still felt bad as he said them.

“Oh, hm. Yeah, that’s true. But Setsuka wants to alienate herself as much as she can from this situation.” Niseko looked up for a moment, “A lot of people don’t trust Setsuka because she’s not present herself, but the truth is, she really doesn’t know where she is. She was hoping that I would find her on the second floor, but the moment we saw the Office Room, we knew that she wasn’t there.”

“Setsuka wants to alienate herself..? I suppose that makes sense, but Monokuma has stated multiple times that she will die if you die. So, I guess what I’m saying is... There’s not really a difference in her being here or not.” Haru paused, thinking over what he’d just said, “Sorry, my point is I don’t think Setsuka is suspicious.”

“Ahahaha!” Haru flinched a bit as the doll began to laugh and then simulated wiping away tears. Of course, there were none, but nonetheless, the meaning was clear, “Oh, she doesn’t mind if people suspect her. She’s used to it. Did you know that for a while, people thought Setsuka was a witch because we lived alone in a forest?”

“Alone... in a forest?” Haru tilted his head. “When? How old is Setsuka?”

“Ehehe... She’d rather not say. She’s older than you, though.” Niseko placed a hand over her mouth, “What about you, Haru? If people suspected you, how would you react?”

“I... I guess I’d do everything I could to get rid of that suspicion. In a situation like this, it’s inevitable to have suspects, I know that much... But I think it’s important to remain as impartial as possible.” Haru finished his piece with a nod.

“Interesting, interesting!” Niseko vigorously nodded her head in return, “Maybe Setsuka is a witch. Instead of brewing potions, she was busy making dolls. Did you know that living in the forest is simultaneously much more and much less peaceful than being in an urbanised location? On one hand, there’s no one to bother you. But on the other... Everything comes much harder. You have to find your own food, make sure wild animals don’t attack, Find fresh water... Well, in the end, Setsuka got most of it figured out. My master is quite good at what she does.”

“How does any of that relate to doll making?” Haru scratched his chin, once again feeling that familiar confusion.

“Well, if you visited Setsuka’s home, you might find a doll paradise!” Niseko raised her arms happily, “Perhaps a pseudo paradise. But a paradise nonetheless.”

“Pseudo paradise?” Haru frowned, even more confused.

“Oh, that part was a joke...” Niseko hung her head, “I’m sure some people might’ve gotten that, but you must be the wrong crowd. That makes me think, though. Do you remember when Shohei described the placebo and nocebo effect? What if you put someone in a pseudo paradise and they believed with all of their being that it was a true paradise. Would the effects of paradise shine through?”

“I can’t say I know too much about any of that...” Haru tilted his head, resting it on his elbow, “But it sounds pretty unbelievable. Still, I guess the placebo is unbelievable to begin with.

“What if you reversed that? What if you put someone in a pseudo hell? What would happen then?” Niseko’s voice somehow felt more hollow, her eyes emptier. Her voice, too, was lower, “Could you call this a pseudo hell..? Haru, is there any point in your life where you felt as though you were trapped in a hell from which you couldn’t escape?”

“I...” He hesitated but lowered his head, “Yeah. Without a doubt. I guess what you’re trying to tell me is that was my ‘pseudo hell’. And I have to admit, those painful memories still haunt me.”

“I see. Setsuka, too, went through a pseudo hell. In fact, she has a theory. She thinks that everyone here has gone through pseudo hell. We’ve talked about how everyone here must either be intuitive or we’ve all been hand selected to play a role, with our focus on the former. But what if this, too, is a factor? From what I know, at least, most people here had a really big struggle in their life.” Niseko’s demeanor had seemingly gone back to normal, but Haru still felt wary, “I’m sure by now you have heard about Yudai’s mysterious appearance? Setsuka was in his class.”

“Yeah, it was mentioned to me.” Haru nodded. Marise had explained it to him before, when Shigeru had asked.

“One day, just in the middle of class, a transfer student was announced. His name was Yudai Shimizu and... Well, that was it. He was quiet, he did his work, and was never seen outside of class. Isn’t that odd? What if something happened to cause him to suddenly transfer?” Niseko lowered her head, “And Keroko was in Setsuka’s class, too... When the school year started, she was a very awkward person. And even after she settled, there were many days where she was missing. The teacher never acknowledged it, either.”

“My class... Yamato and Nori were in it, but I didn’t really see anything like that with either of them. They fought a lot, but that was it.” Haru added and he watched as Niseko swayed her head from side to side.

“Maybe I’ll look into this. I know! I’ll go get some paper from the Supply Room and take notes on everyone here!” Niseko jumped off the table, “Thanks for talking to me, Haru. I finally have something important to do!”

Before Haru could respond, Niseko jumped to hit the elevator button and, since the elevator was already there, it opened immediately and she vanished inside. Staring at the elevator door, he smiled slightly. He’d gotten to know quite a bit about Setsuka and Niseko and he felt as though a bond was forming.

Turning, Haru started toward the door to the hallway. When he passed through the doorway, a crash met his ears and he flinched instinctively. “What the-!?”

Mei was standing in front of the lockers, her katana drawn. It looked as though she’d just finished swinging it. She glanced over to see Haru and near immediately dropped her aggressive stance and bowed, “Tanioto.”

“Really, calling me Haru is just fine...” He ruffled his bangs, a bit uncomfortable with what he’d just found himself in, “What are you doing, Mei?”

She looked at the lockers again and then back at Haru, “Opening them.” She crouched to be level with one of the ones on the lower shelf and swung it open, “This was Honda’s. Inside was a metal... metal thing that he made with his torch. Inside of Shimizu’s was a picture taken with a ca... camera?”

“I don’t think they’re going to open that easily, though.” Haru lowered his head, “I think it’s been made clear that they only unlock once someone’s... died.”

“Must I kill to open my own? Shimizu is now dead, so I am awaiting orders.” Mei narrowed her eyes and sheathed her blade. “I wish to know what was stolen from me.”

“Ah, well, first of all. Don’t kill anyone.” Haru frowned as he said it, “That’s what we’re trying to avoid.”

“I understand. Will you act as my new client, Tanioto?” Mei cocked her head, curiosity glinting in her red eyes. 

“If it will prevent you from killing anyone.” He responded, slowly. Haru still wasn’t sure what could set Mei off. At times, she seemed very patient and calculating, yet at others, impulsive and rash. “But I have a question. Stolen?”

“Stolen.” She nodded. “If Honda created the metal, Monokuma took it. There are sixteen of these containers, so there is one for each of us. Therefore, Monokuma took something from me. He took something from you, too, Tanioto. Doesn’t that make you wonder?”

“Wonder... What was taken from me?” Haru glanced at the lockers, “My first concern is escaping this place. Honestly, I don’t really care if I leave something behind as long as I have my life.”

“Your life is very important.” Mei noted, “I see. Most humans act this way, so it is not surprising to me.”

“Is... your life not important to you?” Haru almost couldn’t bring himself to ask.

“My life? Yes, it is very important. I live for both myself and for Takeo.” She nodded and drew her wakizashi before running her fingers down the white blade, “If I die, so does the memory of Takeo. And if he were to be lost... I am unsure I would ever be able to forgive myself. If I die, Tanioto, cast aside my blade as if it were worthless.”

  
“Wh-What!? Don’t say something like that, Mei!” Haru exclaimed, “Look. As long as you have the desire to live, you’ll live. It’s only when you’ve given up that you die.”

“Did Honda and Shimizu give up?” She had said it in that strange way of hers. A question that, if said by anyone other than Mei, could have hurt anyone. Yet her childlike naivete and innocent wonder made her question genuine.

“Rikuto said that Yudai knew he was going to die... And... Well,” Haru hesitated, “I think they were both prepared to die for the sake of sparing us from the motive.”

“I killed Honda and Shimizu.” Mei hung her head, “It could have been anyone, but it was me. Honda said himself that because he saw the effects of the motive on me, he wished to stop it. For that reason, he struck down Shimizu! And now, it is on my honor to live not just for Takeo, but Honda and Shimizu as well!”

Her tone had shifted so suddenly to such passion that Haru felt winded, “I don’t think it was your fault, Mei. Like you said, it could have been anyone that Monokuma chose to demonstrate the Monogas on. I think he just preyed on your obedience.”

“Yes. You are correct. I had no desire to disobey the bear’s orders.” Mei was now staring into the blade, “I had a nightmare last night, Tanioto. I was in a place not so different from this one and there were two people yelling at me. There was a body and I was ordered to guard it. To strike down anyone who disturbed it. The other person ordered me too stand aside. I have never felt such confliction. I believe it was because I had no client... In the end, I cut one of their hands off.”

“You... You cut one of their hands off?” Haru felt his head go warm and a bit tingly, “Are you... Are you prone to doing that?”

“I have never cut off someone’s hand before. That would cause unnecessary suffering. If someone is required to die, I do it quickly. I do not like hearing screams. They hurt my head,” Mei looked dead into Haru’s eyes and he felt his blood run cold, “I have been thinking of my brother.”

Her change in topic was sudden, but Haru was desperate for any excuse to not talk about Mei’s “profession”, so he decided to answer that, “Your brother. Takeo?”

“No, my older brother. I told you I had two. His name was Keizou. He had black hair and red eyes like me. His blade is a chokuto, but I think I remember, when I was very young and he was still around... he preferred to fight with a naginata. I always wondered why.” Mei looked to the side, “I wonder where Keizou is. I wonder if Keizou still lives. I know nothing of him and I barely remember his face. My clearest memory of Keizou is facing off with him when we were both very small.”

“Keizou is missing?” Haru repeated softly, “You’ve lost both of your brothers?”

“I grew up with my grandfather. My parents fought in a war that I am unfamiliar with and never returned. Their blades were never recovered and Keizou often spoke of finding them. He then vanished. I already told you what happened to Takeo.” Mei shut her eyes for a moment in reverence, “Grandfather said that I trained too much and that I should enjoy more art. I tried once, but I did not understand any of it. Because of that, Grandfather... Ah!”

She whipped her head to look back at the lockers and Haru leaned forward a bit, “What’s wrong, Mei?”

“I have realised what item Monokuma took from me. He took my book.” She nodded, “It explained to me what words meant. Grandfather gave it to me when I told him I did not understand the words of his poems.”

“It explains what words mean? Like... A dictionary?” Haru rubbed his head, a bit confused, “You think that your dictionary is in one of these lockers?”

“I am certain of it.” Mei responded and raised her wakizashi up, “So I must retrieve it!”

“Eh!? Wait a second, Mei. What if you get in trouble for breaking them?” Haru raised his hands up to stop the ninja.

“Hm? Is that in the rules? Oh, but.... Very well. I must find a replacement, though. I am having difficulty understanding what everyone is talking about...” Mei sheathed her white blade and turned toward the door to the Red Hallway before starting to walk off.

“Where are you going?” Haru asked, folding his arms.

“I am going to my room. My arms are feeling weak, so I must train.” She turned to look at Haru and bowed once more. “Farewell, Tanioto.”

With her goodbye, Mei disappeared into the hall. Feeling awkward with the sudden end to the conversation, Haru stood there for a few moments. He felt as though no matter how much he learned about Mei, he still understood nothing about her. At least their bond was deepening somewhat, even if Mei saw it as a business partnership.

He was a bit weary, though, after the exploration of the lower floor and exposure to two very exuberant personalities, so he decided to go back to his own room. Perhaps to wind down with another melody.

Always keep on your feet, but cherish the calm moments. If only the students who were trapped in the shelter understood these simple ideas. Although a few days passed without incident, the looming fear of what the next day would bring never left. After all, the killing game was still present and nothing would change that.

Kanna paced the hallway, his cape trailing behind him. He was alone with nothing but his thoughts, something the prodigy had a lot of. It was too quiet, he thought. For nothing to happen for so long... Of course, sometimes his accuracy stunned even the Ultimate Perfection himself.

Ding dong. Bing bong.

His head snapped up, the invasive toll of the out of place school bell reverberating through the cold hall. “Ahem. Ahem. Hang on... Is this thing on? Oh, yes!” Kanna narrowed his eyes at the ceiling, scanning it for the source of the noise. There didn’t seem to be any sort of speaker and that irked him, “I would like everyone to gather in the Auditorium. Don’t be late!”

A bit of white noise followed and the shelter went silent. One of the doors immediately swung open and Kanna turned to see Shohei emerge from the blue door. “Shohei? You look as though you were just raised from the dead. Are you alright?” The barista’s hair was unkempt, his coffee brown eyes dull and half-lidded. Even his constant trembling seemed slower than normal.

“Which version of ‘alright’ a-are you looking for?” Shohei wearily met Kanna’s silver gaze, “Haven’t slept... Probably m-motive... Yeah, I’m, uh, going to the Auditorium b-before I... pass out.” His voice was largely monotone and Kanna couldn’t help but feel worried for him, so when Shohei continued for the Meeting Room, Kanna followed closely behind.

They passed through the room into the large Auditorium and took seats near the front. Amari and Mei were already there which didn’t surprise Kanna, who’d known that they’d been in the Dining Hall prior to the announcement. Amari shot him a worried glance and made a very slight gesture to Mei. It seemed the bodyguard had also come to the conclusion that Monokuma was going to unleash a new motive and wished to keep Mei out of it, this time.

Mei batted at Amari’s hand as neared her. Her katana was laid on her lap, presumably because the ninja found it uncomfortable to sit with it strapped to her back, but she still seemed on guard.

Before long, the others had joined them, Kanna counting each one until all fourteen were present. The last person to enter was Nori, who had no time to even sit before Monokuma’s voice echoed once more, “Puhuhuhu! So glad you could join me. Unfortunately, though, I had a plan for anyone who didn’t attend... And that’s been dashed.”

The bear waddled out from behind the podium and Marise coughed, “How about that loser, Setsuka? She’s technically not here.” Niseko glanced back, messing with her hair awkwardly.

“Oh, no. I keep saying, you must think of Niseko like a voodoo doll! She is here which means Setsuka is, too.” Monokuma grinned, “Besides, this means I get to pick at random!”

“Pick who for what?” Kouki had a vat of blue paint in one hand and was swirling the index finger of her other hand in it? Though she usually kept paintbrushes with her, she had always preferred finger painting. The texture of the paint was calming to her.

“Aha! The motive. In about an hour, I would like you all to come to the Observation Room. It’s the one with all of the glass on the floor below us. For now, I will explain.” Monokuma raised his arms and the lights darkened, the large screen flickering to life. “You see, the positive punishment worked so well last time that I have decided to go with a similar motive. Of course, I promised our dearly departed that I wouldn’t reuse the motive so I thought to myself, whatever else can I do? If not psychological torture, then...?”

The screen lit up with a simple image of a stick man in a large box. The edges of the box began to creep in until the man barely fit, “Physical torture!”

“Isn’t this against the rules..?” Nori started, but his voice trailed off. His face had gone white at just the thought of torture.

“It’s not.” Ami shook her head, “As long as Monokuma doesn’t kill us, he’s in the clear. Rule five states that we may not hurt Monokuma and rule fourteen says that Monokuma can’t kill us but nothing is stopping him from harming us.”

“That’s horrible.” Haru muttered, “That’s really twisted. So your ‘random choice’ then is going to be who goes first, yeah?”

“Spot on, Haru!” Monokuma grinned. “I have selected a variety of courses hand-picked for each of you, so who goes first really doesn’t matter.”

“This takes place in those glass things?” Kouki blinked, something hitting her, “Yukari, didn’t you say...”

“I did.” Yukari twirled a lock of hair around her finger, “You’re very predictable, Monokuma.”

“Ah, but you know, I haven’t made any modifications to any rooms since this game started. All of your talk about preventing the last motive had no impact on this!” Monokuma jumped atop the podium, “But I really have no issue with you trying. After all, this is a game, isn’t it? A survival game..? Upupupu... If you can prevent it... Isn’t that survival?”

“Right you are. Unfortunately, there really seems to be no way to breach the containment areas... They’re probably dead zones.” Yukari frowned, “There’s no way to know unless I go in and if that happens, then...”

“Are you volunteering, Miss Nagakage?” Monokuma brought his hands to his snout and lightly chuckled.

“If anyone is volunteering, it will be me.” Amari stood up, “No silly games over picking. If you think you can break anyone here, I’d like to see you try to break me, Monokuma. Nothing short of death will work and as I understand it, that part’s forbidden.”

“Interesting...” Monokuma licked his lips, “Okay, I accept. I’ll have fun making you the example. I know the other students see you as strong and unshakable. So you’ll be the perfect first victim!”

“Amari, you mustn’t do that.” Shigeru had his arms folded and was drumming his fingers on his arm, “If there is any chance at all, I would like to be presented with the opportunity to take the blow for the team. Understand, understand?”

“If you think that will be repentance for Rikuto, there are two things I’d like to say in response,” Amari said without turning back, “First, it won’t change how any of us see you. We won’t forgive you, or anyone, for throwing yourself in danger. Second, it doesn’t matter in the first place because you have nothing to repent for.”

“Ah...” Shigeru couldn’t come up with an answer to that and lowered his head.

“Are you absolutely sure about this?” Kanna grimaced as he glanced at Monokuma’s evil, twisted smile.

“Certain. In fact, I am so certain, there is nothing anyone could say that would make me stand down. It is my turn as the Super High School Level Bodyguard. I will show you all what I can do.” Amari smiled confidently. Her usage of her full title added to the professionality and no one dared speak against it. 

“It seems I have nothing more to explain, then.” Monokuma raised his hand, the screen went dark, and the lights came back on. “Remember, in an hour, your attendance is required in the Observation Room. Please do not be late.”

With that, the bear disappeared back into the floor. There was a click as Ami opened her pocket watch and then shut it again before slowly getting up. “Horrific. This is really the worst. Only a psychopath tortures their victims.”

“Amari, m’dear, there was no need to make a show of it.” Yamato also stood up to join Amari, “After all, the curtains opened long ago. Do you know of the serial-position effect?”

“I do not. Care to explain?” Amari said, turning to face the ringmaster.

“Of course! In simple terms, the serial-position effect refers to the ability to remember the first and last parts of something the best. This is why in a typical circus show, we place something stunning at the beginning and something jaw-dropping at the end. People remember it. Take this situation. Waking up in this room with no memory of how we got here is trademark of the primacy effect. If we ever escape, we shall remember that due to the recency effect.” Yamato bowed at the end of his short explanation and, without coming back up, added, “Do you understand how I am applying this, m’dear?”

“You are saying there is no need to make such a stir because this is neither the beginning nor the end, correct?” Amari answered and Yamato stood back up with a nod, “However, what are we coining the ‘beginning’? Perhaps we may remember this as the beginning of the motive.”

“Perhaps.” Yamato nodded, “However, now I am reminded of the peak-end rule... Your display inspired confidence or, at least, you wanted it to. But the peak-end rule says that our emotion toward an experience is judged by the climax and the ending. So if this is overshadowed, then it truly was for nothing. And my intuition is telling me that this torture motive is going to greatly overshadow this event.”

“Maybe you’re right, but the ending may not be so cruel, correct?” Amari offered.

For a moment, Yamato frowned, but then he broke into a large smile, “Of course, silly me! I don’t know what came over me. It was as if I were a whole different person. Yes, I... Well, we’ll get out of this and then the exhilaration. The heart-pounding relief from the anticipation and struggle will surely engrave itself into our minds.”

Ami frowned, gripping her pocket watch, “Hey, if you ever need to get a grip on your personality. Come see me. Your flip-floppiness might drive me insane if you don’t.”

“I, uh...” Yamato’s eyes shifted around nervously, “I need to get prepared for the... thing. In the Observation Room. Please excuse me.” And the ringmaster made a beeline for the Meeting Room and was soon gone. 

“He’s such a handful.” Ami sighed. “I wonder why he’s holding on so tightly to this fake optimism when he goes around saying things about recency and primacy in regards to negativity. No, actually, I wonder why he’s hiding his true face in the first place. But that’s not my field. Rather yours, Yukari.”

“It’s nothing I haven’t seen before, but sometimes case-by-case can be fun.” Yukari stared at the door. The whimsical tone of her voice didn’t quite match her face, however, and she tilted her head, “Do you work with people, Ami?”

“Yes, of course.” Ami responded, “But your real question is why I don’t already have the answer to my own question, isn’t it? So... I think I already know the reason, but I have nothing to confirm or deny myself.”

“Very intuitive.” Yukari smiled and then stood up. As she started toward the door, she stopped and turned her head back, “Actually, I have one more question.”

“What is it?” Ami started to walk forward but let out a cry of surprise as her feet were lifted off the ground and she shot toward Yukari, remnants of the red smoke trailing her. She tucked her body before she hit the ground and rolled, preventing injury, “The heck?”

“My, you’re quite reflexive, aren’t you? I just wanted to take a look at your Monopad, if you don’t mind.” Yukari extended a hand to help Ami up, but the hypnotist ignored it.

“A trade. I’d like to see yours, too.” She folded her arms in a defiant stance.

“You like to... see mine?” Yukari cocked her head again before smirking, “Ah, fine. A fair deal. Yukari held out her Monopad and Ami did the same.

Simultaneously, they tapped the screens, but as she did so, Ami’s grip tightened, “I-”

“Is something the matter, love?” Yukari grinned, “It’s not that surprising, is it?”

“What’s wrong,” Haru had made his way over, though out of respect, he didn’t peer over to see it.

“It... Just says her name and talent. I guess I expected something else but, no. It says ‘Yukari Nagakage, Psychoanalyst’.” Something was bugging Ami and Haru could tell. Whether it was really what the Monopad said or not, he couldn’t tell.

Handing back Ami’s Monopad and taking her own again, Yukari winked, “Be careful, love. If you were to accidentally become a defibrillator because of this, you might become the Blackened. Kyahahaha!” With the echoing cry of her laughter, Yukari cast open the door and disappeared into the next room.

Ami placed her hand on her forehead, “Right. Yeah, okay. Fine, Yukari. If you want to play that way... Oh, uh, Haru. Sorry about this, but er...” She smirked and reached a finger to touch his bare arm. When she tapped him, Haru felt the mild shock of static electricity and instinctively pulled back.

“Hey, what was that for?” He frowned. The people still sitting exchanged looks of confusion, unsure as to what Ami just did or what Yukari had meant. From someone removed from the conversation, the whole thing made no sense.

“Guess I’m afraid I’ll become a defibrillator.” She shrugged and then also left into the next room.

Nori swung himself off of his seat and fiddled with one of his hair clips before poking at Kanna’s sleeve, “Do you think Monokuma is really gonna torture us? He’s already threatened us with death... Why this?”

“To break our spirits, quite simply put.” Kanna started at his hand as he said it. His cape was laid over the back of the chair to prevent wrinkling and he made no move to stop Nori when he started looking at it and poking it, “I must admit, even I’m a bit worried.”

“Why? You’re perfect, you can handle anything!” Nori exclaimed.

“Aha... Yeah, you must be right. Can’t help someone from worrying, though, right?” Kanna stood up and respectfully took his cape back from Nori. “Monokuma didn’t explain how the motive would proceed. Will someone take Amari’s place as soon as she is finished or will we get a breather as was promised with the gas?”

“It could go either way depending on what kind of tension he wants and how sadistic he really is. But I’m going to take a stab in the dark and say that we’ll get some breaks.” Amari was the one to answer, her head low and her arms crossed, “Down time makes the window of opportunity for killing wider and, in the end, that’s what Monokuma really wants.”

“Killing, killing...” Shigeru mumbled, “Monokuma is required to make motives as strong as these or else we wouldn’t go through with anything. That’s what I’m taking from this.”

“Tanioto. I wish to stop the motive.” Mei bowed slightly, “But the only way to do so is to kill. If I were to turn myself in, would that be acceptable?”

Haru hesitated in shock for a moment. Was this what he signed up for in taking on Mei? “No, uh, don’t do that. We’ll find another way. At least wait until we’ve deliberated our options before even considering murder.”

“Very well, then. I shall wait.” She bowed once more and excused herself out of the room and, slowly, the rest followed.

\---

Niseko looked up from a file she’d been reading through. It was time to go to the Observation Room. She had come to the File Room to look at more of the files for a suspicion she had regarding other students, but she’d come up with nothing. Earlier, Ami had been with her, but the hypnotist had left early to go remind the others of the time. Surely, Niseko thought, having a pocket watch on hand must be quite helpful.

Setsuka had quickly come to the conclusion that each student had been left with at least one personal belonging. For example, Ami and her pocket watch or Yamato and his silver hoop. This was how she knew that her personal belonging was Niseko. It wasn’t the most fair, she thought, to have her ‘object’ be a second body to keep track of whereas someone like Nori got a poster that he could just leave around. And what about Mei, whose personal belonging seemed to be her dual blades? There were also people she hadn’t seen take out anything, like Kanna or Keroko.

There was one other conclusion the doll maker had established. Whatever Yukari’s belonging was allowed her to do all of these seemingly supernatural feats. Setsuka wasn’t sure what that was, but she was certain in her deduction.

Niseko set down the file she’d been holding and set off for the Observation Room which was next door. She had to jump on the door handle to open the heavy door, but she managed to make it through. Ami had not returned, but Kanna, Shohei and Amari were already there, waiting.

“Are you ready, Amari?” Niseko clasped her hands together, tilting her head. The bodyguard merely nodded and she realised that Amari was ever so faintly paler than usual. She was strong, but not immune to fear.

“All we can do is cheer you on.” Kanna shook his head. “I wish we could do more, but...”

“No. I don’t intend to break under Monokuma’s watch, but if something were to happen to me, whatever hope you place in me will shatter. So I ask that you refrain.” Amari looked Kanna in the eye and he slowly nodded.

“You know, you really do fit your talent, body and mind. You almost make me envious.” Kanna forced a chuckle.

Shohei knelt on the ground, scooting over a basket that had been off to the side. When Niseko gave him an odd look, he began to explain, “I-I have to be here for this but there are s-some problems with that. Namely, the first... I’m dead tired. Second, I-I... Well, that’s actually not really important right now. I’m going to brew some coffee. That’s what I’m d-doing.” He pulled out some objects that Amari and Kanna recognised as pocket brewing supplies, though Niseko wasn’t familiar.

The door to the Office Room swung open and Ami made her way in. After her was a slow trickle of the rest of the students except Yukari. Kanna glanced at the twelve others before the door finally opened and in came the psychoanalyst.

“Is everyone here, finally?” Kanna spun around to see Monokuma leaning on the glass. “You guys were cutting it awfully close... But I’ll let it slide. Now, now... Amari Hoshino, hm?”

“I’m ready.” She grumbled and stepped forward. With the hiss of air escaping an otherwise airtight room, a panel to the glass compartment opened up. Amari glanced at Monokuma before crawling in, her large frame barely fitting through.

“Why would you volunteer... Why would you volunteer!?” Shigeru shook his head, “I don’t want to watch this.”

“Do as much as you can! I always enjoy watching you guys try to avoid inevitabilities. Upupupupu...” Monokuma glanced at Shohei who looked right back. The barista still felt bad about sleeping through Rikuto’s execution, but it would be alright. The coffee was nearly done, now and he could smell the familiar, calming aroma.

Inside the glass, Amari saw everything darken around her. She couldn’t tell, but it was still crystal clear from the outside. An image flickered all around her, like some sort of virtual reality, but she dared not take a step of even move a muscle. She recalled what Mei had said about the gas. About seeing the fox. But it would take a lot more than some old phobia to cause Amari to break. And Monokuma had already told them that he wouldn’t repeat the motive.

...And he already told them that, this time, it was physical torture. The area around her was suddenly filled with large plants, vines whipping out at her. She gritted her teeth as each one struck her. The hot sting of pain burned all over her, but she did not flinch. This was only the beginning.

“How long does it last?” Nori squeaked, looking up at Monokuma with desperate eyes. 

“Puhuhuhu! I wouldn’t want to spoil the surprise, now would I?” He responded, watching Amari.

Blood welling up from the strikes, Amari felt the desire to wipe it off, but there was little time for anything before larger vines curled around her body, restraining her. Though she might’ve been able to break free, Amari didn’t struggle. She wouldn’t give Monokuma the satisfaction.

On the outside, Yamato narrowed his eyes. To them, it merely looked like black cord, but he knew from the shift in Amari’s expression that she was seeing something different. 

Amari took in a sharp inhale when pain erupted from the flesh covered in the cord. Large thorns had sprouted from the vines, their pink tips frighteningly sharp. The thorny vines receded, tearing through her skin as they did and Amari could feel hot tears mingling with the sweat dripping down her face. Her body felt warm not only from the blood soaking into her shirt and dripping down her bare stomach, but the adrenaline that was quickly rising.

The thorns struck her again on the face, then again. Again. Again. Again. Amari quickly lost count as her senses began to numb. If she felt nothing, she would be okay, right? She wasn’t allowed to die. She couldn’t... The vines slowed with one final whip. Amari staggered for a moment before she regained her footing and blew out through gritted teeth. It wasn’t over. It couldn’t be, else she would have been let out.

She felt something cold hit the top of her head. Then her arm. She looked upward at the sky and saw rain falling. It was soft, but more pain flared up as a drop landed on one of her newly acquired wounds. Is this what Rikuto felt like, she wondered as the fire of the pain burnt on. Except he knew that it would be over. He knew he would die and Amari was the opposite. Somehow, knowing that she would live wasn’t the most comforting.

Something sharp pierced her arm with the rain and, dazed, Amari turned her head to look. A needle stuck out, glimmering in the rain. Had something been on it? Such a small amount of anything couldn’t do anything... Surely...

...

Yamato gulped as Amari collapsed in the chamber. From what he could tell, the bodyguard had been in way more pain than she should have been. Little pin pricks and scratches riddled her body, but no real damage had been caused. The cords had held small needles that could be scary to someone afraid of specifically needles, but Amari didn’t seem like that type of person.

There was a hiss once again as the chamber door opened and Kanna rushed to the bodyguard. She was breathing normally and the wounds were minor, “Physical, you said? If that is so, why did she collapse?”

“Upupupu...” Monokuma softly giggled, “So then... Who’s next? I believe it would be... Kouki, wouldn’t it?”

“Wh...What?” The artists face had gone pale. “Why me? Why... What?” Her broken speech caused by what she witnessed was now worsened by being singled out for such a horrific thing.

“Well, you were kind enough to establish an order for me when you all met and I’ve only been following it.” Monokuma cocked his head like a bird, his paw to his face as if in confusion. “We could go backwards, in which case next would be... Ah, yes. Nori Sasaki!”

“No! No... I’ll go.” Kouki shook her head. It wasn’t hard to tell that out of everyone, Nori was easily the most shaken by the whole experience and Kouki wasn’t about to let Monokuma prey upon that. “When... When is it?”

“A half-hour before the nighttime announcement!” Monokuma grinned, “So then, I’ll be seeing all of you there. Got it? 9:30 PM.”

With a final chilling laughter, Monokuma vanished once more. Once he did, Shohei looked up, holding a steaming pot and a paper cup. In large gulps, he downed the cup and crumpled it. “I made it for myself and Amari. B-But... She’s unconscious and it’s really hot... But I’m worried that wh-when she wakes up...”

“I can wake her up,” Ami muttered absent-mindedly, staring at her watch. The whole thing only took ten minutes. Ten minutes of pure agonising suffering for Amari.

“It is imperative that we learn what that was like for her. On our end, it seemed tame, but she was in pain.” Kanna sighed, “Ah, Yamato. Help me out here. Let’s bring her to the Lab and we can make a makeshift hospital room.”

“Got it.” Yamato swung around to the other side of Amari, leaning his hoop against the glass to help lift her with both arms. He grunted, Amari being heavier than he expected, but him and Kanna managed to make it through the back door and into the lab.

“Nori, unhook my cape, would you? Lay it on the table like a blanket,” Kanna said as they lifted her up. Nori, shivering and pale, did as he was told and, though Kanna frowned at the wrinkles, Amari was set down on it. “We really need an infirmary...”

“Hey- What are you d-doing!?” Shohei suddenly yelped. His coffee pot was wreathed in red smoke sourcing from Yukari’s index finger. He attempted to fan it away but stopped, gripping his hand in pain, “Ow, that’s r-really cold!”

“You said it was too hot. I’m just cooling it down a bit. No need to be so worried.” Yukari smiled innocently, “Not everyone can take a hot drink like you, love. I fully support your decision in giving it to Amari, so I just want to ensure that you can go through with it. That is all.”

“Um... Okay.” Shohei muttered and once the smoke had dissipated, he poured it into another cup and walked over to the table. Ami followed him, shutting her pocket watch. “You didn’t do anything to it, did you?”

“Oh no, you are the expert here after all. I wouldn’t dare mess with that. Hoho...” Yukari clasped her hands together and moved to sit on a table.

Ami bit her lip, “The last time I did this, Mei screamed in my face... Ah.” She shook her head, her bangs lazily following her movements, “Wake up, Amari, if you would.”

Just like before, her words held a strange power and Amari’s eyes fluttered open. When she recognised Ami, however, she let out a breath. Ami murmured under her breath so quiet that it was likely that only Amari and Shohei heard it, “It’s alright...” and then raised her voice, “You aren’t hurt badly.”

Shohei practically threw the cup into Amari’s hands and, disoriented, she looked down into the blackness of the drink, “What... is this?” Then she rubbed her head and took a sip, “Wait. What did you do it?”

“It’s all natural! I-I put stuff in the blend to give a calming energy. S-Sometimes I find myself needing it. I would never d-drug you with hard medicine without a d-doctor...” Shohei threw up his hands, “The effects are near instantaneous so... uh... p-please drink it?”

Amari looked at him for a moment before a small smile crossed her lips and she nodded, beginning to drink the coffee. She just sat, staring for a moment. Niseko crawled up next to her, Keroko following and the doll extended a hand to pat her on the back before realising that her hard skin would probably just be uncomfortable, especially given all of the pin pricks. Noticing this, Keroko did it for Amari and the bodyguard smiled at the strange duo.

“So... Amari.” Yamato began, “That was quite the spectacular show of endurance. But, hm, we couldn’t help but notice that it seemed like you were experiencing something different than what we watched.”

“What do you mean?” Amari blinked and then looked down at her arm. There were pinpricks up blood welling up in some spots, but most of the wounds had already scabbed over. She frowned and then removed her armband to dab at them, “This isn’t right... I felt the thorns tear through my flesh so why is the biggest injury a scratch?”

“Thorns?” Mei looked up, furrowing her brow in confusion.

“Don’t tell me you don’t know what thorns are.” Marise spat, walking right up to Mei. “C’mon, even a troglodyte like you know what thorns are.”

“I know what thorns are. However, I am unfamiliar with the word ‘troglodyte’.” Mei placed a hand on her wakizashi, “I would appreciate you explaining this word.”

“Ugh.” Marise rolled her eyes and walked back to her earlier position. Mei leaned forward dangerously close to drawing her sword and advancing, but out of the corner of her eye, she saw Haru raise a hand and she straightened once more.

“‘Troglodyte; Noun; A person, especially in prehistoric times, who lived in a cave’. Ah, but, ‘Prehistoric; Adjective; A word used to describe something relating to the period before written documentation.’.” Yukari yawned before resuming, “She’s insulting you, love, as she tends to do.”

“I see. I give you my thanks.” Mei bowed and returned to Amari, “There were no thorns attacking you but rather... Black, er... ropes? I see them often in office buildings.”

“They’re called cords,” Shigeru assisted, “Except the cords had needles sticking out of them. There were no thorns.”

“What’s the difference?” Kouki folded her arms in an attempt to stabilise her quivering body. “If they both pierce you...”

“Thorns are larger,” It was Amari who spoke, “They would leave bigger wounds. I felt like they were dragging through my flesh, taking it with them. The rain... Was that real, then?”

“Yes, yes, there was a drizzle. But now it makes sense why it was causing you that much discomfort,” Shigeru noted, “If you had such wounds, the rain would string pretty bad, no?”

From the other table, where Yukari sat, a melodic tone sounded as Amari realised that the psychoanalyst was singing, “_‘A little fall of rain can hardly hurt me now...’_”

“_‘You’re here. That’s all I need to know.’_” To everyone’s surprise, Haru was the one to pick up. After he sung it, he looked rather surprised himself, “I, uh... Hm. Well, I’ve played for that song before as part of the orchestra. But yeah, now’s not the time for singing. The rain was what downed you, wasn’t it?”

“No, there was a needle in the rain... But it wasn’t really there?” Amari rubbed the back of her head, stress creeping up on her.

“What if that was something that was real, but obscured for us somehow,” Yamato suggested, “It’s certainly not impossible. Ah, it seems that Monokuma may have hidden a bit of the truth from us. This is pretty psychological as well as physical...”

“Except no one is going to stop this motive.” All of her whimsy was gone as Yukari leapt to her feet, “You will let this continue for a while yet. But it’s okay. I already know the outcome. I already know who will perish. Who will fall.”

“Wh-What?” Nori shook his head, “That’s impossible!”

“Then I dare you to change fate. I dare you to try and prove me wrong! Go ahead, who will be the one to snap!?” Yukari growled, but then placed a hand on her chest, “I’d love to see what you come up with, loves. Kyahahahahaha!”

And with that, the psychoanalyst swept out of the room, leaving the rest in stunned silence.

Yukari’s haunting words had left everyone in a state of unease. Nobody knew what to do or say. That is, until Mei left the room without as much as a sound. Haru watched as she went, watched as Marise and Yamato followed. “The worst part might just be the anticipation... I think I need to go lie down.” Kouki muttered as she also left, Haru noting just how pale she had become.

“I’ll stay with Amari. I have some questions for her yet.” Kanna said as people continued to trickle out of the room. Before long, the only ones left with Haru, Kanna, Amari, Shohei, and Ami. “If that is alright with you, Amari.”

“Absolutely. Yukari implied that no one will commit a murder because of this motive and I, too, want to decipher what she meant.” Amari nodded, “I feel fine now. The whole thing is very strange. Also, unrelated, but Shohei. That was incredible. I now see why you are the Ultimate Barista.”

“Oh, uh... Th-thanks. I know a few tricks.” He smiled awkwardly, “Customer might not know what they’re getting, b-but they always like it and come back for more.”

Amari tilted her head and he sighed, “It’s a joke. I-I... I do what the customer wants. Sorry.”

“If you’re alright now... There’s something I need to think about.” Ami’s head was lowered and she turned toward the door. “You might be worried about Yukari’s implications of the motive, but I’m worried about other implications.”

“May I come with you, Ami?” Haru asked, politely and after a bit of hesitation, Ami slowly nodded. She led the way out of the Laboratory into the Observation Room. Surprisingly, however, she didn’t go into the Office Room to return back upstairs, but rather the File Room. “What are you looking for?”

“I was here earlier with Setsuka and I felt something weird.” Ami raised her head at the tall shelves, “I know that sounds dumb, but this whole shelter is weird. It’s like there’s something in the air.”

“I can’t say I know what you mean. Everything feels normal to me.” Haru shook his head, “But, uh... What were you and, uh, Setsuka looking at?”

“Just the different files. Well, actually, Setsuka said that she was going to continue her investigation and I offered to help. It’s too much for one person to go through all of these files. It was strange, though. It was like she was looking for something.” Ami pursed her lips and was silent for a moment before continuing, “Yukari says that she already knows who the killer and the victim will be. That’s information that only a killer would know, right?”

“So you’re saying that Yukari is going to murder someone?” Haru frowned, “Didn’t she say earlier that she was avoiding all of the murder?”

“She said something of that effect to Rikuto, yes. However, I think this motive has gotten under her skin.” Ami began to pick through the files, “After Monokuma announced the motive, Yukari said that there was no way to breach the chambers and that they were a ‘dead zone’ to her. I think she was talking about her smoke or, rather, her powers, whatever they may be. People like Yukari don’t know how to function without strength. It’s the same in politics.”

“Because Yukari has no way of countering this motive, you think she’s going to stop it herself?” Haru watched as Ami continued searching files, occasionally pausing on some and then moving on.

“No. Yukari is a psychologist. I highly doubt she’d get her own hands dirty. I think she’s planning to manipulate someone and, whenever it happens is before her turn comes up in this motive.” Ami finally pulled one of the files out. She placed her hand on the cover with her mouth opened slightly, her body a bit stiff, “How is this possible..?”

“What’s the matter?” Haru moved to see what Ami was looking at and she shook her head, handing him the file.

“I don’t want to look at it. I just wanted to know if it was here and, sure enough... This file is on the death of my father. I don’t doubt that if I looked further, I could find my friend’s death somewhere here do.” Ami’s voice was low. “He died in the same way as her.”

“What..? You mean that serial killer?” Haru opened up the file and froze up. The images were graphic to say the least. The man was barely recognisable. He remembered what Ami had said about her friend. Sure enough, this man, her father, was the same, only much worse than what she’d described. Yes, his throat was slit, but his body was broken and bruised. Stabbed and carved. Where his eyes were was nothing but a bloody mess.

“My father died first. Then her and I... I’ve lived in fear my whole life Haru. Afraid of who’d be next. Maybe my mother... Maybe me, myself. I wanted to run far, far away, but my mother is chronically ill. She won’t die, but she can’t travel like that. I couldn’t just abandon her... Not when whatever did this is still out there.” Ami dropped down, sliding on the shelves behind her. She buried her head in her arms. “How is this possible, Haru!? How can someone like this be so obscure that they don’t even have a name? When I got the letter from Hope’s Peak, I was hesitant. It meant leaving my mother for a while. But she assured me that she’d be fine and that, above all, I’d be safe... So I did.”

Ami was shaking now, her sleeves damp with tears, “Yukari keeps questioning me and I’m starting to wonder if she knows more about me than even I do... But I also wonder how much she understands about herself. After all, the unconscious most unfamiliar is your own, isn’t it?”

“I suppose it’s her job to know.” Haru admitted, “She teases me way more often than I’d like. It’s as if she knows every detail about me that there is to know.”

“I miss my father, Haru. He was strict, but he only wanted what was best for my mother and I. Now, all I have left of him is this.” She held out her pocket watch. “And all I have left of my friend is my memory. It’s alright, though... I won’t forget. Not ever.”

“I think that’s the best way to honor her.” Haru nodded, watching as Ami slowly stood up, wiping her face with her sleeve.

“Whenever I cry, my bangs get so wet. It takes forever to dry.” She chuckled softly, pain in her voice, “I need to distract myself. Haru, can I look at your Monopad?”

“Uh, sure. Why, though?” Haru hesitantly handed his Monopad to Ami.

She spoke as she tapped the screen, “They shouldn’t work the way that they do. Technology may be able to account for gloves blocking the electricity in our bodies, but explain the doll. It doesn’t work like that. And, as you’ve noticed, mine is very sensitive to electricity. After I use it, I get all charged up and a terrible shock waits for me afterward. Ah, you know, Haru. The air kinda feels like that. Kind of like an electric current is running through it.”

She took out her own Monopad and began to compare the two, flipping them over and running her hand across both screens. Haru frowned, “There’s been a lot of impossible things in this place. I’ve never seen anything like the gas before. And where did that rain in the chamber come from? Yukari herself is basically a walking anomaly.”

“Yes, yes, and yes. There’s something big that we’re missing.” Ami bit her lip and then shook her head, pocketing her own Monopad. “Right well. I guess that wasn’t totally useless. I’ve learned that the Monopads can withstand a certain amount of electricity.”

“Huh..?” Haru looked at his own, still in Ami’s hands, “Were you... Were you trying to break my Monopad?”

“No, no... I wasn’t trying to break it. That’s against the rules and then I would have been executed. If it started malfunctioning, I would have stopped right away. Anyway, I want to go talk to Kouki, the poor thing. Maybe I can help her out.” She nodded and then held out his Monopad for him to take back, “Oh, but one last thing, Haru?”

“What is it?” He said as he went to grab his Monopad back. It was too late before he noticed Ami’s grin,” ACK!!”

The electrical current ran through his whole body and Ami began to giggle like a hyena. “Oh boy, that’s never gonna get old. Anyway, I’ll talk to you later, Haru. Stay safe. Don’t stick your fingers in any outlets.”

“Ugh. Yeah, I’ll sure try my best.” He glared and Ami passed him, continuing to laugh softly, though it was clear she was doing her best to try to suppress it. At least she was happy, Haru supposed. She was definitely opening up to him, which he was satisfied with.

He looked for a moment at the file he still held in his hands before putting it back on the shelf, quite carelessly. He didn’t care where it belonged. Afterward, he left the File Room and headed back into the Laboratory. 

Amari and Kanna were still talking, but Haru noticed a lack of Shohei. Kanna dipped his head, “Hello again, Haru. Was there something you needed?”

“Not necessarily. I don’t mean to interrupt your conversation at least. Where did Shohei, go?” Haru looked back at Kanna. Amari also looked at him. For the most part, Amari looked fine. There was no more bleeding and Haru saw her armband resting near her, dampened, but likely being cleaned.

“Ah, I recommended he go rest and, although he told me no resting would be happening, he went anyway. I don’t understand why people just don’t get that a healthy sleep schedule is very important.” Kanna placed a hand on his forehead, “Especially that boy. Something’s going to happen to him with all that caffeine. I worry about him.”

“I’ll, uh... Go check on him... I guess.” Haru shifted his eyes around. Honestly, he didn’t want to sit through a lecture on sleep schedules, so any excuse was good enough. Besides, he was curious as to what Shohei did earlier.

“Good luck, Haru.” Kanna smiled a rather sly smile and then returned to his conversation with Amari. Haru bit his lip as he turned. Of course Kanna would catch on to him. Ultimate Perfection, after all, however possible that was.

He left the room and made the trek all the way back to the Blue Hallway. He scanned the doors until he found the one with the crest that looked like a semi circle with an arrow coming out of the top and a diamond in this center. Haru, of course, didn’t know, but this was the crest of Herschel Academy, Shohei’s previous school. He knocked on the door and waited.

It took a minute or so, but eventually the door opened, Shohei rubbing his head in pain. “O-Oh, it’s just you... Haru.” He awkwardly glanced back into his room, “Uh... Come in, I guess. It’s kinda a mess in here now, though.”

Haru pressed his lips together as he followed Shohei in, a strong smell of coffee immediately assaulting his nose. There was a crunch underneath his shoe and, looking down, he saw coffee beans strewn across the floor. “What happened here?”

“W-Well, to be completely honest, your knock frightened me and I dropped the bag I was holding and accidentally knocked my head into the wall.” Shohei looked back sheepishly, “S-Sorry about the mess...”

Haru looked around at the room. It really seemed more like a bed placed in a coffee shop than a dorm room. Most of the room was a counter with what appeared to be fully functional machines attached. Espresso machines, coffee machines, a tap... There were some tables, like you might find in a cafe and tucked away in a corner was a bed and a side table. Light came from hanging lampshades, giving the beige room some moody lighting. Shohei’s bed looked quite undisturbed. “It’s fine. But I really spooked you that bad?”

“Uh... Yeah.” Shohei sat at one of the tables and Haru joined him, “So umm... Wh-what brings you here?”

“Well, I wanted to know more about what you do. Especially after seeing the effects of what you gave Amari.” Haru answered and Shohei immediately jumped up.

“Oh really!?” His eyes, still wide as ever, seemed to light up in joy, “Do you like coffee? Oh hang on, even if you don’t, I can still make you something. I-It’ll be great, trust me. Okay, okay, uh... Coffee or tea? Sweet or bitter? Foam or no foam? Milk?”

“Woah, uh... calm down, Shohei.” Haru raised his hands up, “Whatever you think is the best is fine.”

“Alright!” He exclaimed, pulled on some rubber gloves, and began to get to work, “Here, c’mere. I can show you. I’ll be making coffee, so first I pick some beans. Ummm... This one. Th-then I can add things to it, so um... Hmm...” He began to pick through different bags and add different things to the beans. Then he put it all in a grinder and hit the button. He began to yell over it, “Y’know I’m really surprised that Shigeru can’t hear all of this noise!! It’s like the r-rooms are soundproof!! Well, actually, they’d have to be, y’know!?”

Haru waited for the noise to die down and spoke through his ringing ears, “What do you mean they have to be?” Shohei began to sift through the grind, apparently testing the texture of it.

“Maybe when I p-poison you with the brew, you’ll find out.” He said it so nonchalantly that even though Haru knew that it was a joke, he still felt a bit awkward, “Ah, n-never mind... But the logic still applies. This place is b-built for murder. It makes sense they’d be s-soundproof.” 

Shohei placed a filter into one of the coffee machines and the beans in after. “I guess that makes sense. My room is next to where Rikuto was and if he did any welding, I never heard it.” Haru glanced down, “And who knows what Kanna does in his room.”

“P-Probably nothing. He may be perfect, b-but he’s kinda also a bit bland.” Shohei poured in some water as the machine whirred to life, “He’s a great supportive guy, I just wish he’d step out of his comfort zone a bit, y-y’know?”

“I guess now that I think about it, I don’t really know Kanna all that well.” Haru admitted. Shohei then placed a new cup under the machine and poured the already brewed coffee back into the machine. “What are you doing?”

“It makes it s-stronger! You should really talk to Kanna. I think th-the more people he talks to, the better off he’ll be. I’ve already tried, but he won’t d-drink any more than one of my drinks a day. Says it would be bad for him.” Shohei frowned and poured milk in next, brewing that as well, “Whatever, I say. O-Oh, are you questioning this, too? It makes th-the cows happy to know that their milk is being transformed into liquid gold.”

Haru stared at Shohei blankly and he continued, “Wow, you uh... Y-You’re more stoic than I thought.” Then he laughed a bit, “Nah, nah. I know I’m not really good a-at making jokes. But y’know, sometimes that’s just what people need. An awkward tension.”

He sprinkled in some sugar and then poured two cups, bringing them back to the table. “Go on, try it.” He said before downing his own cup, “See you know it’s not poisonous ‘cause I j-just drank it.”

“Right.” Haru said, feeling a bit overwhelmed. He took a sip of it and, surprisingly, although it was strong, it tasted good. Better than any coffee he’d ever had. Why was he surprised? He was an Ultimate, after all. He began to drink more of it, slowly though, as it was still piping hot.

“This one lifts your mood. I noticed when you w-walked in that something was weighing you down. I know that f-feeling all too well.” Shohei sighed, “Truth is, I got into specialty brewing to calm my own crazy nerves. I may be jittery all the time, but at least I d-don’t feel like someone’s always behind me.”

“Huh?” Haru tilted his head, “Now that I think about it, you were the one to bring up paranoia, weren’t you?” He recalled the conversation about the elevator.

“Y-Yup. I, uh, well... Yeah. Sometimes I get those feelings. B-But it’s no big deal, really.” Shohei hesitantly looked into his empty cup, “I know well th-that what my mind makes up isn’t real.”

Haru got the feeling that taking that conversation further might wind up with some bad results so he nodded slowly, “Tell me more about the coffee. What all is in it?”

Maybe he wouldn’t learn about Shohei’s inner workings yet, but that was okay. Shohei was passionate about his craft and that was enough to let Haru know that Shohei considered him a friend at least.

Kouki faced the glass, swallowing hard. She had no idea how Amari could face this with such courage as she trembled, Monokuma’s white grin filling her with even more unease. She hesitantly stepped forward, but her foot caught on something and she lost her balance, tumbling inside and feeling the hiss of the door closing behind her.

She wasn’t sure where she had ended up. It was dark and it looked as though there were stone underfoot. The artist recalled the dissonance between what they had seen with Amari and what Amari herself had seen and muttered to herself, “It’s not real...”

Something cold hit her head and she instinctively touched it, feeling damp hair. She looked up, another drop splashing on her forehead as she did. The rain in Amari’s had been one of the few things that were real and she reached up, determined to figure out how. She felt the glass above her, although since she couldn’t see it, it was almost like an invisible wall. She ran her fingers around where the water would’ve had to come from, but the surface was smooth.

She felt something warm prod her leg and, startled, she looked down. A tiny white mouse scurried around her feet. She tried to move her legs, but her shoes were firmly planted on the ground and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t lift them. Pain shot through her leg as the mouse bit through her sock straight into her body. She understood now. She was helpless as she was being attacked with the constant dripping of water on her head. She’d heard of Chinese water torture, but she never thought it included rodents.

There was more scurrying around as more mice joined the first. Kouki squeezed her eyes shut as she felt something scale up her body. Frantically batting at where she felt it, her hands touched nothing as it bit her. “It’s in my head.” And she repeated it, “It’s in my head.” But no matter how many times she said it, the feeling of the mice was too real. They bit and bit and wouldn’t stop biting no matter how much she tried to knock them off.

Hot blood dripped down her arms and the cold water rhythmically drummed on her head, her head a warzone of pain and desperation. Below her, the blood and water pooled, mixing into some slimy mess. The mice were swarming her now, biting at her arms and face. Kouki’s salty tears made the wounds burn with unfathomable pain until finally... everything grew dark... And her consciousness slipped away.

...

Haru grit his teeth as he heard the thump of Kouki’s body hit the bottom of the chamber. “Upupupu... I don’t like mice y’know so that was preeeetty terrifying. Don’t you think? Alright. Next one is a half-hour after the morning announcement. Hmm, let’s see. That will be Yamato, won’t it?”

“Absolutely delighted.” The ringmaster grumbled. He looked around for a bit and then grinned, “No problem. You think a little bit of this is any worse than a tiger leaping at you? Haha! I was born for this.”

The door hissed open once more and Haru immediately went to Kouki’s side, lifting her out of the pool of water. Instead of cords riddled with needles, they had shot out of the walls pinned to cloths. From what Monokuma said, apparently it had translated into mice for Kouki, but just like Amari, in actuality she had very minor injuries.

Kanna helped Haru bring Kouki into the Laboratory and, Kanna being hesitant to use his cape as Kouki was considerably more wet than Amari had been, Haru placed his sweater under Kouki’s head. Shohei and Ami had made their way forward to repeat the process and Haru looked back out to see Yukari staring in, her expression unreadable.

\---

Ding dong. Bing bong.

Yamato didn’t even register the morning announcement. He hadn’t been able to sleep that night and instead had sat in the Dining Hall all night. No one had bothered him. He hadn’t expected anyone to. However, now that the announcement had sounded, people would surely be entering, so instead of staying, he entered the elevator to go down to the next floor.

The ding of his arrival rang loud in his ears and he stepped out on unsteady feet. Without much thought, he made his way to the Laboratory. The Laboratory contained mirrors in certain areas above sinks and he caught a glimpse of his weary, tired looking face, drawn and pale. He removed his hat and combed his fingers through his light brown hair before adjusting his waistcoat and cape. He turned on the water and looked around. He could only find paper towels, so that’d have to do.

“Fancy seeing you here.”

Yamato paused and turned to see Yukari, “Mhm... I’ll say the same thing back. Fancy seeing you here, Yukari. Thought you’d be busy with some more stage magic.”

A smile crossed her face and she closed her eyes, “Call it what you will. Truth is, I am busy, but it just so happens that my business was here, on this floor, and I couldn’t help but hear some water.”

“And just what are you busy with?” Yamato shut off the water and swiveled around, leaning on his hoop. It really did seem like he carried it everywhere.

“Ah. Do you really want to know, Yamato? Do you not already know? Perhaps the idea is in your head, buried. A shame how too much of our true nature is hidden within the folds of the unconscious.” Yukari stepped forward and blinked. “I am very interested in what this motive holds for you. Amari and Kouki managed to cling on to their dignity. Will you?”

“Don’t be ridiculous. Of course I will!” Yamato’s smile didn’t falter as he said it, “And I’ll do it again and again. Because you know what? You’re right. No one is gonna kill over something dumb like this even if it continues on and on like a curtain that never closes. Even if we’re worn down until we’re numb, well, that just means the motive has run its course.”

“Hm.” Yukari frowned, “I can’t say I expected you to say something like that. Tell me, Yamato. Just what did Yudai tell you in the Storage Room that day?”

“What?” Yamato blinked before realising what Yukari was referring to, “Oh, that first day, huh? Well, I have a feeling you already know and if you don’t, I’m still not telling you. Use some of your good ol’ stage magic and figure it out, Miss Nagakage.”

“What a shame. We have quite the colorful cast of characters here. The most open prove the most complicated and vice versa.” Yukari sighed and waved her hand. When she opened her palm, in rested a needle, “They’ve been used with both Amari and Kouki so I do hope you’re not afraid of needles, Yamato. Not that you’ll be seeing needles anyway.”

She set the needle on the table next to Yamato and without so much as another word, she made her exit. Yamato stared at the door for a moment before looking at the needle and picking it up between his fingers. It certainly seemed real enough, but he knew better. There was some gimmick that by simply observing, he wouldn’t understand. He needed to be behind the scenes.

Eventually, the rest of the half-hour passed and the fourteen of them once again found themselves in the Observation Room. Yamato narrowed his eyes as he stepped forward. He turned back with a smile on his face before entering the chamber. 

The door shut behind him and the ringmaster adjusted his glasses as everything went dark. At first, nothing happened and he frowned. Of course, it would be alright if nothing were to happen at all, but that was unrealistic. Just as he wondered whether the thing might be broken or something, the area around him erupted with roaring flame and heat swelled in his face.

He instinctively winced, but slowly regained his composure. The scene before him made no sense. Around him had been glass and now an open expanse of black filled with fire? It couldn’t be real and yet, the heat he felt couldn’t be made up.

Sweat was already rolling down his face, dripping onto the ground and sizzling. Of course, being cooked alive. Great fun, Yamato thought as he continued to force his smile. The fire leapt at his ankle and he grit his teeth as pain flared, the sticky feeling of melting clothing adhering to his skin nearly unbearable. But it wasn’t real, Yamato knew that. Real fire would hurt much more. In fact, he might’ve already been dead.

He thought back to what Yukari said. The worst pain was probably being simulated by needles. In fact... Despite everything, Yamato knelt down and, with a low growl, he grabbed at his ankle._ Checkmate._ He felt the slivers of metal in his palm and, with the proof in his hand, he felt the pain die down. He did it. He beat the motive. He...

...

Nori shut his eyes as Yamato collapsed to the ground. Beside him, he heard a voice, “Five minutes, twenty two seconds. Yamato stopped the motive early...?” He looked at Ami who clicked her pocket watch shut again.

The politician stepped forward and dragged Yamato out of the chamber with great effort and poked him in the head, “Raya..?”

“Well, that was disappointing!” Monokuma sighed, “Next time, I’ll have to chain you guys up so you can’t move. Next time with... Shohei!”

“Already!?” Shohei looked up from his coffee machine. “I, uh... Hm. I can’t make th-the coffee if I’m in there.”

Monokuma paused for a moment, “Don’t you have bigger concerns? Like being tortured?” The bear waddled up to him.

“No, not r-really. We already know it’s n-not real. Honestly, you should try r-real torture.” Shohei smiled, “I guess y-you run the risk of actually killing us then, huh? Next time, bring the Ultimate Medic. Then you wouldn’t have to b-be so worried.”

“Ultimate- Ultimate Medic!?” Monokuma spat. “You are such an ungrateful brat. I spent so much time personalising these for you guys and-”

“Personalising?” Amari frowned, her arms crossed, “I fail to see how thorns are personalised for me. And you seem more afraid of mice than Kouki.”

“Well! I didn’t want to redo the last motive. I promised dear, dear, dear Rikuto that I wouldn’t do that! I thought Yamato might be a little more hesitant around fire, though...” Monokuma put his paw to his chin, “What gives!? Am I really not impacting you guys enough!? Oh, don’t tell me the psychologist is ‘treating’ you guys! I’m not dumb! There’s no way she’s gonna work with you.”

“Ah! A wonderful idea just hit me! I think once Yamato wakes up, I should give him a free session just to get under the bear’s hide!” Yukari clapped her hands in delight. Then she rose a finger, “I think it’s probably better to not assume your audience, Monokuma.”

“I have brought master criminals here and the only one who’s killed was that welder! Argh!” Monokuma face was quite literally glowing red in anger, “Yeah! How about that!? There’s master criminals here! Scared yet? Anyway, nothing’s changed. Shohei is next. Half-hour after noon. And don’t you dare be late.”

With that, Monokuma vanished into the floor once more. Nori looked around nervously, Monokuma’s words refusing to leave his head, “...Murderers?”

Kouki also frowned, “He means our pasts, huh? Like Mei, maybe? You said it before, right? You... You killed people?”

“Yes.” Mei nodded, “However, I believe the bear is making this worse. Because I kill people does not mean I will kill you. I understand the rules. I will kill if it is necessary and everyone is in agreement. That is all.”

“Did you come up with that rule yourself?” Yukari asked, tilting her head, and when Mei nodded, she smiled slyly, “Very good. It seems even the dullest blades can still shine and even the slowest kitsune still have their tricks.”

“So, we m-meet here for the next motive. I’ll bring pre-made c-coffee and you guys can give it to me afterward. Okay, yeah,” Shohei looked as though he were convincing himself of something, then he looked at Ami, “Let’s go wake him up.”

“Yeah,” She put away her pocket watch and went to help carry Yamato into the Laboratory. Meanwhile, most of the rest of the group dispersed, some staying behind to make sure the ringmaster was alright.

\---

Yamato drummed his fingers along the Dining Room table he was sitting at. He felt restless and his mind was working overtime. Who knew tiny pinpricks could hurt so much. Shaking his head, he stood up. There was only an hour before the motive was supposed to start, anyway, so he might as well go early. Maybe a look at the File Room that was supposedly so gruesome would distract him.

He entered the elevator which descended to the lower floor and the ding reverberated through. When it opened, he stepped out and nearly tripped. “Kero!!” Regaining his footing, he looked down and saw Keroko squatting on the ground, her hands held up defensively and her tongue wrapped around a nearby chair, probably for support.

“What the-” Yamato frowned at the herpetologist who drew her tongue back in and moved to the side, “Were you waiting for the elevator?” 

She shook her head and pointed at the door to the Observation Room. It was here that Yamato noticed how pale she looked. How her slick skin seemed even wetter than normal and her glove... It was stained and, although the dark green fabric made it difficult to tell for sure, Yamato was certain he knew what it was. He opened his mouth to ask her ‘who’, but thought better of it. A girl who could only croak couldn’t give him specifics, so he changed his question, “Show me where.”

She nodded frantically and hopped for the door, turning the knob with her tongue before she even reached it. She moved through the Observation Room, Yamato at her heels, and into the File Room. Navigating through the maze of shelves with ease, she stopped short, “Kero! Kero ro!”

Yamato slowed and saw why Keroko had paused. Shohei was laying on the ground, face down. There was no blood, so Yamato merely lifted him up over his shoulders and looked to Keroko, then the door to the Vault. Whatever was in there had made Shohei faint. He smiled a weak smile in an attempt to reassure Keroko and she kicked the door open with a bang. 

_"Except no one is going to stop this motive. You will let this continue for a while yet. But it's okay. I already know the outcome. I already know who will perish. Who will fall."_

For a moment, Yamato’s mouth hung open as he forgot how to smile. What other reaction was there to what he saw. Sometimes, you don’t even realise how much you care about someone until they’re gone. Now, Yamato knew that better than anyone.

Nori Sasaki was dead.

“Ahaha... This... This is fake, right?” Yamato looked back at Keroko, who sat next to Shohei, quivering ever so slightly. The words were barely out of his mouth when--

Ding dong. Bing bong.

"A body has been discovered! You should probably hop on over to the Vault! After a certain amount of time has passed, the class trial will begin!"

It may have been a couple minutes, but it felt like moments to Yamato, “I thought you said we’d let it go on a while. This was barely a day!” He couldn’t place the voice, his brain was too addled.

“No one was affected by the last motive except Mei as an example. This time, four of you suffered. Perhaps it happened just a bit earlier than I expected, but still, long enough, yes?” Yukari’s voice snapped him out of it and he turned. They had not yet rounded the corner.

“No! No, no. Fine then. I refuse to look and I won’t let you move. You said you knew who it was going to be, so who is it?” This time he recognised Shigeru’s voice. “Tell me, Yukari. Who is dead in the Vault?”

“Kyahahahahahaha! Oh, do you doubt me, love? The one dead is Nori, of course.” Yamato felt his body run cold. The way Yukari said it, so dismissively... He no longer felt anything but a steadily boiling hatred for her.

He heard the thumping of feet as Shigeru rounded the corner around the shelf and froze, “How... How could you know that? How is that possible? Unless you did this, yourself, Yukari. Or... Or found the body prior?”

“Kero... Kero kero.” Keroko held up her Monopad and, curious, Yamato looked at it. She had it set to Rule 11. 

‘The Body Discovery Announcement will play as soon as three or more people discover a body for the first time.’

“It’s impossible that she saw the body...” Yamato frowned, walking forward into the Vault, careful not to slip on the blood, “The announcement played when I saw him... Keroko saw him and, obviously, Shohei saw him. That’s three people right there.”

“My, it’s not nice to sneak up on people like that, Mei.” Yukari poked at a white blade pressed against her throat. Mei had snuck up behind her without anyone noticing, Shigeru realised. “I would calmly like to ask you why you are threatening my life so?”

“He’s dead. You killed him. Even if you did not kill him, you killed him.” Mei grumbled. When they’d first met the ninja, she seemed almost incapable of expression. Now, Shigeru could see genuine anger in her eyes.

“That makes no sense, love.” Yukari sighed, narrowing her icy eyes, “I’ve no time to untangle such riddles as the ones crafted by a dull kitsune.”

“I am no fox.” Mei said as she let the psychoanalyst go, “And it makes sense to you. You don’t need words to understand. There are many reasons why I think you are responsible. I will now list them off-”

“No time for that now, Mei. We need to start investigating,” Mei felt a hand on her shoulder and turned to see Ami, her skin pale and waxy. Looking around, Mei saw that all of the students had gathered by now. Thirteen now. An unlucky number. And the cold truth stared them all in the face. There was no denying it. This was reality. Nori was dead.

\---  
Investigation: Begin.  
\---

Amari pressed her way to the front, “I assume we will be dividing up investigation again, so I would like to volunteer to guard the body again.” She swallowed when she saw Nori’s corpse, but turned back, a determined expression crossing her face. No one objected, so she dipped her head.

“Me too.” Yamato looked off to the side, “I’ll guard it again, too.” No one needed a reason why. It was painfully obvious in the way his demeanor had shifted. Trying to smile was too much, even for him, at a time like this. He looked up at Nori’s face and sighed heavily.

“Ahahahahaha! Wow, I could’ve totally saved my energy by just making an announcement, but whatever!” Monokuma’s voice came from above and, looking up, Yamato saw him atop the shelf. “The Monokuma File has been loaded up into your Monopads! Please get a good look at it!”

Monokuma disappeared on the other side and Haru couldn’t help but snort. It really was a useless trip for the bear.

“To expediate things, I suggest we pair up in the same groups as before.” Kanna said as if the interruption hadn’t happened at all, “Except, well, Yukari was paired with Nori and Shigeru with Rikuto, both who are no longer with us.”

“It’s fine, it’s fine. I’d like to hear her side of the story anyway.” Shigeru glared at Yukari who simply shrugged in response. “I assume that you have no objections to that? Let’s go.”

“Without a destination in mind?” Yukari piped up as Shigeru began to drag her by the collar, “Well, I’m not going to stop you, but this seems quite... mindless to me, love. Okay, okay, I can walk, too. Oh dear...”

Her voice faded as Shigeru and her rounded the corner again. Niseko waved her arm, “This time, I’m picking for our group. We’d like to investigate Nori’s room.” She looked at Marise who rolled her eyes, but said nothing. Keroko hopped to their side and, when Kanna nodded, Niseko led her tiny team out.

“We should stay up here.” Mei suggested, but Ami didn’t respond. Her head was bowed and she held her pocket watch to her chest, “Yumekuu?”

“I-It’s alright... Sorry, no... I’m alright. Yeah, up here. Let’s do that.” Ami stuffed the silver watch back into her pocket and bit her lip, “We can check around here. The File Room and the Supply Room should hopefully keep us busy. I wouldn’t mind checking the crime scene, too.”

“Gotcha. Haru, Kouki, are you two going alibi hunting again?” Kanna asked as he knelt down next to Shohei, lifting the barista’s head up over his knee. “If that’s the case, Shohei and I can take the Observation Room and the Laboratory. Possibly the Office Room, too.”

A cough drew the attention away from Kanna and to Shohei, who sputtered as he regained consciousness, “A-Ah. Ah!? Oh yeah... I-I was gonna get someone and then I... felt all woozy and I... Ugh. Do we still have time?”

“Investigation just began. Do your best and... er... Try to investigate as much as you can..?” Ami’s last sentence had been formed like a question and Shohei understood. Ami was referring to Kanna and his tendency to fixate on small details. Shohei gave a weak thumbs up before, unsteadily, getting to his feet, with Kanna’s help. “Come on Mei, we can start in the less crowded Supply Room.”

“Good. I do not like crowds,” Mei nodded as she began to walk off, Ami closely following. Kanna motioned for Shohei to follow him and they, too, rounded the corner.

Kouki met Haru’s eye and frowned, “Isn’t it odd how she recovers so quickly? Ami, I mean. Minutes ago she was shivering and incapable of speech. Now she’s very easily telling Mei what to do. Don’t you find that weird?”

“Not really...” Haru admitted. He couldn’t quite explain it, but there was something about the way Ami talked when she got reclusive that was calming to him. He had a strong feeling that it was somehow tied to her talent and that it was meant to affect her. “She is a hypnotist after all.”

“I... guess so. Well, we can start here again, with Amari and Yamato. Take a peek around here while we’re at it.” Kouki stepped through the Vault door. Amari was busy with her Monopad while Yamato stared at Nori’s body with an aura so pressing, Haru felt as though he might be crushed.

“Have you looked at it yet? Keep in mind that we can’t confirm it’s all fact. Especially not after that false autopsy on Yudai’s body.” Amari said as she noticed Haru and Kouki enter. “That said, it does seem accurate, at least.”

_ **Obtained Truth Bullet: Monokuma File #2** _   
_ **Victim: Nori Sasaki** _   
_ **Cause of Death: Injury to vital organs due to stabbing.** _   
_ **Time of Death: 10:22 AM** _

“Vital organs. Not even a specific one. Ugh.” Haru groaned. He walked up to Nori’s body. No better way to get information than the corpse itself. The knife pinning him to the wall was wedged between two of the compartments.

“That’s definitely a kitchen knife. So the killer brought a knife from the kitchen which means either they didn’t have a weapon to begin with or didn’t want to implicate themselves. I guess there’s no way we’d know,” Kouki observed, her hand fluttering around it as if she wanted to touch it, but was also afraid to.

_ **Obtained Truth Bullet: Kitchen Knife** _   
_ **The knife used to kill Nori was a kitchen knife and likely came from the first floor.** _

“His clothing is all torn and there are cuts all over. Mostly on his arms.” Yamato frowned at the ground and Haru felt a bit of sympathy for him. He’d, of course, assumed that Yamato’s act was to hide something, but seeing him without it hurt. It seemed as if he’d lost what made him Yamato. The desire to please even despite his own pessimism. 

It was a feeling Haru knew all too well and he knew that bringing it up would only make the ringmaster feel worse, so he decided to continue the investigation talk. “So... Nori put up a fight?”

“That’s one explanation. If Nori was trying to flee and his killer desperately trying to catch him, it would make sense that the knife would catch him more than a few times.” Yamato nodded slowly. He looked sadly at Nori’s frail looking face and pulled the loose hairpin free.

_ **Obtained Truth Bullet: Evidence of a Struggle** _   
_ **Nori’s clothing was battered and cuts on his arms suggest a struggle.** _

“Hold on a moment, Yamato. Where is Nori’s other hairpin?” Kouki pointed weakly at the other side of Nori’s hair. Moving to get a better look, Haru could see that there was no trace of the other moon hairpin. “If it’s not here... Then wherever it is could be linked to the case. No, it has to be.”

“You’re right.” Haru said as Amari sifted through the green locks to confirm that it wasn’t just tangled up. When she came clean, he looked back at Yamato, who was now gripping the hairpin tightly.

“Find it. You’d better find it. I can’t leave because I promised I’d watch the body with Amari. But if this helps, then it has to be done, right?” Yamato glared at the ground, but lifted his eyes up and gave a smirk, “I wish I could ask someone more reliable, but you’ll have to do, won’t you?”

_ **Obtained Truth Bullet: Missing Hairpin** _   
_ **One of Nori’s moon hairpins is missing.** _

“Ami and Mei aren’t here this time, so I suppose I must do the honors of inspecting the body. If everyone is okay with it, I’m going to take Nori down.” Amari paused for a moment before holding up the upper torso with one hand as she pulled out the long kitchen knife and carefully lay the corpse on the ground. Looking a bit unsure, Amari lay the knife next to the body and knelt down.

“All we know is that he was stabbed,” Haru said, glancing at the Monokuma File again. It was much too vague and had already proved inaccurate once, “But at the very least, I think we can say for certain that this time, it’s really Nori. I’m... I’m sorry Yamato.”

“No, I already knew that. Who else would it be? Keroko is way too small. Marise?” He let out a dry, sorrowful chuckle, “As if she’d let us go near her. I know this is Nori and pretending it’s not will just make things worse.”

“I’ve been meaning to ask, why do you carry that hoop with you everywhere, Yamato?” Kouki motioned toward the silver hoop, currently resting against a wall. She walked over to it and, when Yamato made no move nor sound to stop her, she lifted it up to look at it. “It’s surprisingly light.”

“It’s just aluminum, nothing that special. As for why, I couldn’t tell you. I’ve long forgotten the reason and now it’s just habit.” Yamato shrugged, eyes trained on Kouki, “I suppose it can be a momento if I die.”

“No.” Kouki sharply turned her head, “Are you saying that you’ve given up because Nori is gone?”

“No, no... That’s-- Look, I’ve been thinking about how I’ve been feeling and I realise that Shigeru just went through the same thing. Maybe it’s because I’ve known Nori longer than Shigeru knew Rikuto, but he’s been soldiering through it all. Even after begging Rikuto to live and having his hope shattered just like that, he’s still managed to come back. I can’t even force my smile anymore.” Yamato shook his head with a great sigh and hung his head, “If things are going to get better, then I pray that it comes quickly. And if I could have the bitch’s head, all the better.”

“Yukari?” Haru looked up, his attention diverted from Amari’s inspection. “Because of her teasing? I’ve been wondering about that. Yukari knew that Nori was going to die and she did nothing to stop it. I really doubt she’s the one who killed him, so then, does she also know who did it?”

“Without a doubt. It’s too much to hope that she is the Blackened. I’m not dumb. But if there’s a way to take her out, too, I’d gladly take that opportunity.” Yamato grit his teeth, “If I wasn’t working with you all, I’d have no hesitation in murdering her myself, even if it meant that I’d die, too. She’s reprehensible.”

“After all that talk after Rikuto’s trial, why did her attitude change so quickly?” Kouki set the hoop back down, sighing.

“I spoke to her before this all happened. It was a little bit after the morning announcement, just there in the Lab. She told me she was busy, talked a bit about the motive, and finally left me there with a needle. Sure, fine. I owe it to her that I was able to stop the torture, but she’s far gone past the point of repayment.” Yamato growled, “You two are alibi checking, too, so while I’m at it, I was in the Dining Hall about an hour before Shohei’s turn. I’d been there since I recovered enough to get back on my feet. I was feeling restless, so I decided to head up early, but I ran into Keroko. I was the third to discover the body. Take it as you will.”

“You spoke to Yukari...” Haru muttered, making a mental note.

_ **Obtained Truth Bullet: Yamato’s Account** _   
_ **Yukari spoke with Yamato prior to his torturing around 7 AM about the motive.** _

“Do you know who the first was?” Kouki asked, looking up at Yamato.

“From how he reacted when he woke up, I’m gonna guess Shohei. But you should probably check that with him, not me.” Yamato answered.

“I’ll get to myself in a moment, but you see the blood that’s run down Nori’s face? That’s from an injury on his head. It doesn’t seem to be a cut, but rather blunt force. Similar to Rik- Er, Yudai.” Amari shook her head, “Aside from that, the position the body was in before could be important as well.”

_ **Obtained Truth Bullet: State of the Body** _   
_ **Nori was pinned to the wall of the Vault. His head was injured via blunt force trauma and bled heavily.** _

“What if the killing blow was that and not the knife?” Kouki suggested, but Amari raised a hand.

“I don’t think so. The blood on Nori’s abdomen and head both seem to have set relatively the same way and blunt force trauma would have been a slower death. At least this type. He would’ve had to bleed out for it to kill him. The knife would’ve been much more instant.” She explained and dipped her head, “I don’t think the file is lying about the cause of death. If there’s anything to call into question, it’s the time. But that also seems to match up...”

“Ah, so this knife really did kill Nori then?” Kouki sadly looked down at it, “Unless it was some other sharp object and the knife is just masking that. Either way, he was stabbed.”

“Now, after Yamato’s session, I stayed with him, Ami, and Shohei. Shohei was the first to leave of the three of us, saying he needed to prepare. I stayed with Ami for a while until Yamato was ready to leave. After that, I went back into my room until the Body Discovery Announcement. It’s still not the strongest alibi, but at the least, Ami and Yamato can corroborate the first part.”

“Alright, noted. We should go now, Kouki. Personally, my top priorities are finding that hairpin and talking to Shohei.” Haru turned to look Kouki in the eye.

“I agree. If you guys find out anything else, let us know.” Kouki called out and then left the Vault, Haru closely following. “We have no idea where that hairpin is, so should we find Kanna and Shohei first?”

“That sounds like the best use of our time. They should be somewhere on this floor. Either the Observation Room or the Laboratory. Maybe both.” Haru added as they rounded the sharp corners of the File Room and stood in front of the door to the Observation Room. “Let’s go.”

Haru opened the door to the Observation Room and the door stuck as it impacted with something heavy. There was a quick yelp and a shuffle and, hesitantly, Haru tried again. This time, it swung open and he saw Shohei, several feet back, staring at him with his wide eyes. Perhaps it was because Shohei’s whole body was always trembling, but Haru felt as though his eyes were jittering in his sockets, sweat beading on his forehead.

“A-Ah... Haru. Kouki. I.. Er.” He shut his mouth awkwardly and backed up a bit, quick glances over his shoulder preventing him from bumping into one of the chambers. “A-Alibis, right? You’re here for... alibis?” 

His voice dropped a bit as he hung his head, his face turning a warm shade of pink. Kouki stepped into the room, looking around a bit, “Where’s Kanna? Isn’t he supposed to be with you?” Shohei rose a shaky finger to point at the door to the Laboratory and Kouki let out an ‘ah’ of realisation. “We can talk to him next then. After all, you’re the priority, Shohei.”

“Wh-What, me?” The barista froze like a deer in the headlights, snapping his head up. It only lasted a moment though, as he buried his face into his hands, “Oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no...”

He repeated the phrase over and over until Haru snapped out of this disbelief and grabbed Shohei by the shoulder, “You need to work with us, Shohei, if you want to prove your innocence.” He ran his hand down Shohei’s arm to grab him by the hand. Something cold and wet made him look down and Haru saw a patch of blood on Shohei’s sleeve cuff. “Don’t freak out, just explain what happened. Start from when you left Amari, Ami, and Yamato.”

“Oh... O-Okay... I left because I realised I needed to start getting my brew ready for my own turn in this chamber. I thought that if I got everything set up, I’d have enough time to teach someone how to use it and properly brew what I’d need.” Shohei dropped his arm from Haru’s grip, “So I went to my room for a bit. After I got some preparations done, grinding beans, separating herbs, all of that, I came here into this room. I-I was ready to get everything set up and usable in the most simple way I could, so I started to m-make a test brew. I was just about to go find someone to teach, probably Kanna, when I heard f-footsteps in the File Room. I panicked and decided to go see what it was, but there was no one there... Just a terrible, terrible smell. I-I... I followed it... And I... I saw the body... And I knew I had to find someone... B-But my legs wouldn’t work anymore. The next thing I remember was Kanna’s face and all of you guys.”

“If Shohei was here in this room, that means that the murderer couldn’t have come through here, right?” Kouki turned toward Haru, “That means that the murder happened before Shohei got down here.”

“Unless Shohei did it, of course.” Haru muttered, “What time did you get here, Shohei?”

“I... I didn’t do it!” He cried out and then paused, taking in Haru’s question, “Oh... I-I don’t really know. It didn’t feel like long I spent in my room, but everyone tells me that I take too long. It doesn’t feel long to me, I just... Ugh. My m-mother used to say a minute to me was an hour to everyone else. So I stopped caring about the time.”

“That’s... incredibly unhelpful.” Haru shook his head, sighing. “Alright, so you don’t know when... Did you see Keroko at all? Anyone else?”

“Keroko... No. Oh- But I remember seeing Yukari!” He exclaimed very loudly, “It was a l-little startling. I turned around to plug in the brewing machine and there she was. She just stared at me for a long time before... B-Before... She apologised to me and left.”

“She apologised to you?” Kouki tilted her head, “What do you mean? What for?”

“I-I don’t know. It was very... heartfelt? I guess. She looked very, very sad and just said ‘I am so terribly sorry’. I thought she was gonna tease me or something l-like she usually does, but she didn’t. She just left after th-that.” Shohei ran his hand against his apron to smooth it out.

_ **Obtained Truth Bullet: Shohei’s Account** _   
_ **Shohei left his room early to set things up for his coffee brew in the Observation Room. During his time in the Observation Room, he only saw Yukari.** _

“This is the second person to say that they saw Yukari.” Haru bit his lip, glancing at Kouki and then back at Shohei, “But no matter how I look at it, I just can’t see her being the killer.”

“Yeah, I understand... You haven’t found any evidence, have you, Shohei?” Kouki looked at Shohei, blinking her large, brown eyes. “Here in this room?”

“No, not yet... I dunno, m-maybe Kanna has? You could ask him.” Shohei’s eyes look dull and defeated, “I didn’t... I didn’t do this, okay? I know it looks bad. I was next to be tortured... I was up here... I was the f-first to discover the body... No one can corroborate my alibi. I know I l-look really suspicious, but I didn’t do it...”

“Everything will work out.” Kouki grabbed Shohei’s hand with both of her hands and looked down, just as Haru had, “Er, you might want to wash your sleeve. Sleeping right next to a puddle of blood can be unsanitary.”

“Ah, yeah. I m-might be getting attached to the look, though. Maybe you can dye my sleeve later?” Shohei gave a shaky smile and then sighed with a small chuckle, “Alright... I-I’m trying my best here... Fine. Bad joke... Alright...”

Kouki shook her head incredulously and then started for the Laboratory. Haru looked back at Shohei, who watched on with eyes that wouldn’t miss the smallest detail, before following Kouki into the next room.

At first, he didn’t see Kanna. The room looked empty and he glanced back out the door where Shohei continued staring. “Ah! Haru and Kouki. I apologise for my rudeness.” He looked to to see Kanna in between tables. He must’ve been crouching, unintentionally avoiding detection.

“Hello, Kanna.” Kouki said, looking around. The Laboratory seemed very much undisturbed and Haru got a sense that investigating here was largely pointless. “As you know, we’re checking alibis.”

“Yes.” He said quite simply and swung himself over a table to stand next to them, “This time, I actually have an alibi! I made certain of it.”

“You... made certain of it?” Haru frowned. He didn’t voice his concerns, but that statement made him a bit wary. Still, this was Kanna. If he meant to say it, he meant to say it.

“Why yes. I didn’t want a repeat of last time, so in between every session, I’ve made sure that I’ve been with at least one other person. I turn, I can corroborate their alibi. So, let’s see... That’s right. Before we discovered the body, I was with Setsuka. I was, still am, very curious as to how that doll works and Setsuka has graciously allowed me to look at Niseko.” Kanna nodded as he said it and extended an arm in a flourish, “So, how’s that? A proper alibi.”

“All we have to do is run it by Niseko.” Kouki smiled, “That seems pretty cut and dry to me. Have you found any clues, Kanna?”

“Ah... Er, well. Actually, this doesn’t have to do with the Laboratory and it’s honestly just conjecture, but there’s something I’ve been thinking about the body. The way that Nori was hung up like that... Without the knife hitting any bones. Well, the ribs are in the way and not only that, the gap between the shelves in the Vault are very narrow. Don’t you think it would take a trained killer to get through all of that?” Kanna looked off to the side, his face suddenly looking dark, “Not only that, the victim was Nori. It takes a very cold heart to kill someone so obviously frightened. So weak and frail... You know the term ‘sociopath’, right? In actuality, it’s just an informal term. Usually, people mean ‘Antisocial Personality Disorder’. These are people who show no care for others and no remorse for their actions... And they’re very good at lying.”

“You think someone here is... a sociopath?” Kouki shuddered, hugging herself tightly, “And that’s why they killed Nori?”

“If you think about it that way, it suddenly makes sense why Yukari knew who the victim would be. As a psychologist, she’s very closely analysing our behaviors. Therefore, it’s safe to assume that she would be able to pick out someone with ASPD. Secondly, she would also know that Nori was the weakest mentally, making him the perfect target for such a person.” Kanna blinked his silver eyes slowly, “It’s not magic or foresight. It’s simple logic. This accounts for both Yukari knowing and yet not doing it herself.”

“I like that solution a lot better than the other things we’ve come up with. That might mean her suspects are Yamato and Shohei.” Kouki rested her head on her hand, “I really want to believe this, so I’m definitely keeping it at the forefront of my mind.”

“What was it that Marise said? ‘Everyone knows that investigating with a suspect in mind changes how you investigate.’” Haru thought back and then nodded at Kouki, “Yeah, I think that applies here. So you take what Kanna thinks and I’ll keep in mind what Ami thinks.”

“Ami?” Kouki tilted her head, confused, “We haven’t talked to Ami yet.”

“Oh, yeah. I forgot to tell you, didn’t I? I spoke to Ami before this whole mess happened. We talked about Yukari and what she said about knowing the victim for a while. Basically, the conclusion Ami came to was that Yukari manipulated someone into killing.” Haru shook his head as he said it, “It also makes sense for someone like her to take advantage of someone’s psyche. So that’s why I think you should investigate with Kanna’s stance in mind while I take Ami’s.”

“I suppose that makes sense.” Kouki scratched her chin, “Well, that being the case, I think we should move on. I dunno about you, but I doubt this place is all that important to the investigation.”

“Yeah, I agree. Still, if anyone can find anything, I guess it’s Kanna.” Haru glanced at the prodigy who swept his bangs to the side with a small smile and a nod. “So where to next?”

“We don’t have time to be running back and forth, so we should wait until we’ve seen everything here before we head back upstairs.” Kouki began to walk toward the door as she continued talking, “So... Ami and Mei next, then?”

“Right. We didn’t see either of them in the File Room, but that room is a maze, so I can’t say I’m surprised.” Haru followed the artist as they passed through the Observation Room. Shohei was behind one of the chambers, visible through the glass. He didn’t seem to notice them as they continued on.

Once in the file room, Kouki called out, “Mei? Ami?” as she rounded the corners of the shelves. She turned back to Haru, “I thought it’d be easier to find them if we just asked--”

Pounding footsteps echoed and Kouki turned just in time to step back, “Woah! Ack.” Ami skidded to a stop just before she could barrel into one of the shelves, “I hate this room so much.”

“Why were you running, Ami?” Haru asked, watching as the hypnotist carefully placed her hands on the shelf as if it were going to fall on her. “Is something wrong?”

“Yes. Well, no. Not wrong per se. We’ve just found evidence in the Supply Room,” Ami turned toward the two, “Come and see for yourself.”

With that, Ami began to walk through, this time more slowly and more carefully. Eventually they made it to the Supply Room, the door already open, and Ami let Kouki and Haru in.

Haru stopped short. Mei was pounding on a wall, determination burning in her eyes. She stopped though when Kouki came in and turned with a short bow, “Tanioto. Maekawa.” Without so much as another word, she went back to hitting the wall.

“What... What are you doing, Mei?” Surprisingly, it was Ami who asked the question. “Why are you doing that? You’re going to injure your hand. It’s called a Boxer’s Fracture.”

“Boxer? What is that?” Mei dropped her hand and turned to look at Ami. The fire had vanished so quickly, replaced by confusion and curiosity, a look Mei so often wore. “Do they put things in boxes?”

“...No. They, er, they punch people as a sport. It’s not something I’m very interested in.” Ami explained, “But really, Mei. What are you doing?”

“This wall is fake but I do not know how to get rid of it.” Mei took a step back and looked at the wall. “It feels solid and yet it is different from the rest of the walls.”

“W-Wait a moment. Haru, look at the ground.” Kouki pointed and Haru looked down. He realised that he’d been so distracted by Mei that he’d missed the obvious in the room. “Bloodstains. But why here? If Nori was killed in the Vault, why would there be bloodstains here?”

There wasn’t a significant amount like in the Vault, but a lot of droplets were scattered on the floor. This was no accident.

_ **Obtained Truth Bullet: Blood in the Supply Room** _   
_ **There are droplets of blood on the floor of the Supply Room implying that this was a significant area in the crime.** _

“We also found Nori’s poster. We cleaned it up though so that we wouldn’t slip on the paper.” Ami led them over to one of the desks where a neat pile of green poster board instantly recognisable. Kouki sadly picked up the pieces, sifting through them.

“I’m gonna hold onto them so no one ‘cleans them up’. Maybe I can tape it back together at the very least...” Her voice was little more than a whisper.

_ **Obtained Truth Bullet: Nori’s Poster** _   
_ **Nori’s poster was found, torn up, in the Supply Room.** _

“Mei, I don’t think you’re gonna solve anything by staring at the wall.” Ami shook her head at the ninja, “If you think the wall is different, then maybe it’s a false wall. If that’s the case, the method of opening it is probably not here next to the wall.”

“Ah, I see. I have opened secret doors in the past,” Mei said and then scanned the room. Eventually she settled on drawing her wakizashi and prodding at the ground as Kouki hesitantly looked at Haru.

“Just what kind of ninja is she?” Kouki murmured, but a squeal of something heavy shifting prevented Haru from responding as Kouki held her head from the noise, “...So quick...”

“Yes. That was simple.” Mei had a loose piece of stone from the ground propped up with her foot, “There is some sort of floor here that is held down by this rock.”

“Sounds like a pressure plate...” Ami muttered as she turned to the now open passage, “It’s bigger than I thought and, sure enough... Something went down in here.”

The opened area was a tunnel of sorts, looking more cave-like than building. The slopes of the wall seemed natural rather than man made, but the thing that really drew their attention was the trail of blood that led through to a sharp turn in the tunnel that was certainly designed as such.

“Ah! Haru, look.” Kouki rushed forward into the hallway and crouched down, hesitantly picking something up, “Yamato will be glad we found this.”

She was holding a very familiar moon pin that all but confirmed what they’d assumed. Nori had gone down this tunnel.

_ **Truth Bullet Updated: Missing Hairpin** _   
_ **One of Nori's moon hairpins was missing. It was found in the secret tunnel found in the Supply Room.** _

“What is this?” Mei had entered as well and faced a wall, “Whose writing is this? I wish to give them a lesson on how to write.”

“Is that a kana?” Haru said, approaching, “It looks like blood... I’m going to take a guess and say Nori wrote it. It would explain the sloppiness if he was in a hurry.”

“‘Ke’?” Kouki looked up and squinted at it, “No, wait. There’s a dakuten, so ‘ge’.”

_ **Obtained Truth Bullet: Bloody Message** _   
_ **On the wall of the secret passage, a hiragana character was written. It resembles a ‘ge’ (げ)** _

“Blood, of course... We should see where this leads, although I already have an idea.” Ami passed the other three rounding the corner of the tunnel. Haru followed, noting that the stone transitioned to metal as the bend came. Eventually, they reached a wall, framed by glowing light. “Yeah, there’s no doubt.”

The hypnotist pushed on the wall and it slowly swung open with a heavy groaning noise. Haru had to shield his eyes and he noticed Mei fully turn around, her eyes squeezed shut. Once his vision adjusted, Haru blinked to see Yamato staring at him, wide-eyed. “Well, I... I didn’t expect to see you again so soon. I congratulate you on this... find.”

“Is this a secret passage?” Amari had come over from apparently the File Room. “Where did you come from.”

“The Vault.” Haru answered, “Well... This certainly changes a lot...”

_ **Obtained Truth Bullet: Secret Passage** _   
_ **A secret passage can be found in the Vault, connecting it to the Supply Room.** _

“Now that I think about it... I always thought this was odd...” Amari moved over to the green light, “Yes, see? It’s depressed. I have a feeling this is what opens the door on this side.”

Kouki silently walked up to Yamato, pressing something into his hand. He nodded slowly and Haru didn’t have to guess at what it was. She then turned back, “We should quickly get Ami and Mei’s alibis and head downstairs. I doubt we have much time left.”

“Well, I was with Yamato for a while, afterward I went to my room. Not much else I can say, unfortunately.” Ami shook her head.

“I was training. I sharpened my blade, too. Then I ate and went back to training.” Mei thought about it for a moment. “I believe I saw Yukimura.”

“Yes, you did.” Yamato confirmed and Mei nodded, “If that is all, then run, you two. I have to agree with the little miss here. There is probably little time remaining.”

Haru nodded and set off out of the Vault, Kouki beside him, waving as she did, “You two need to explore that tunnel as much as possible.”

Ami nodded as Mei quickly turned back and disappeared. Through the File Room and into the Observation Room, it seemed that Kanna and Shohei had swapped places as Kanna rose a hand in greeting while examining the outside of one of the chambers, but the two were too set to pause. They passed through the Office Room and into the elevator.

Once inside, Kouki looked down, “I don’t really have a suspect other than Yukari. I just... I can’t imagine who would’ve done this. Everyone seems the same-- Scared, disgusted, and most of all, full of sorrow and despair.”

“People with APSD are extremely good at fooling people or so I’ve heard. And if Yukari is behind this... Who knows what she could bribe or blackmail people with.” Haru scratched his head, “But we still have half of the people here to talk to. It’s too early to be making assumptions.”

“I know. I don’t want to assume.” Kouki shook her head, “I want this to be easy and I know it’s not going to be.”

The ding of the elevator signaled their arrival and Kouki stepped out, Haru closely behind. Sadly, but still with urgency, Kouki made her way to the hallway and stopped in front of the blue door. She looked back at Haru before turning the knob.

The Blue Hallway was empty and Haru led Kouki to Nori’s door. The crest on his door was, unsurprisingly, that of a moon, though it was made up of stars. It was similar to the emblem on Nori’s lapel, though the embroidery had dashes in place of stars, Haru recalled. Of course, the other students wouldn’t know, but the name of Nori’s high school was Hoshigakirei Academy. The name is written in kana so it doesn’t have a real translation, but one can assume that it’s derived from the words ‘star’ and ‘beautiful’ which certainly ties in with the school’s theme.

Haru opened the door and paused for just a moment. Of course, the three assigned to the room were there, but he had to take in the room itself. The ceiling was painted like a starry sky, the walls continuing the pattern until they blended into a very dull greenish color. There was a small stage, similar to the one in Haru’s own room, but a bit taller with a lectern, not dissimilar from the Auditorium. Many folding chairs rested against the wall, folded and, of course, out of place as always, was Nori’s bed.

“Hello, Haru. I was a bit worried you wouldn’t come,” Niseko said. She was on the stage with Keroko, who bore a friendly smile. “But that’s great! We weren’t really finding anything here.”

“Ugh, this room is duller than Nori’s campaign meetings and gives me a headache equal to the one his voice induced.” Marise growled from atop Nori’s bed. She was kicking her feet, bored, and glaring. Standard Marise disposition.

“Don’t speak ill of the deceased, Marise!” Niseko cried out, Keroko adding in an angry croak. “I mean, it’s true that there seems to be no relevance to the case here, but there’s no need to be rude.”

“Yeah, whatever. Alibis, huh? I regret ever telling you losers how to conduct an investigation. So get this through your thick skull. I have no alibi.” Marise folded her arms and fell back into the bed, “But I can sure give you a suspect.”

“Save it.” Haru shook his head, “What about you two?”

“I... think I was with Kanna,” Niseko placed her hands together, “He’s been trying to figure out how I work or something. It’s kinda been an invasion of privacy, but I’m just a doll so I guess it doesn’t matter. Not that he’ll ever be able to replicate my master’s artful work!”

“Kero... Kero kero.” Keroko placed her hands in front of her as if reading and then sadly shook her head. “Ro... Keke...”

“Reading? Do you think she was in the File Room?” As Kouki said it, Keroko nodded, “But you couldn’t have seen Nori. I’m guessing you saw Shohei go to the Vault and followed him. But... Shohei said that he smelled the blood. If you were already there, why didn’t you?”

“Keroo...” She tilted her head and nodded, “Kero ko keko. Keroro roke ro.” She shrugged and simulated sniffing and then reading again.

“I’m sorry... I really don’t understand. But you did smell it?” Keroko nodded in confirmation, “Then in the trial, we’ll be able to figure out what you mean. I hope that’s okay. It must really suck to not be able to speak.”

Keroko sighed and nodded slowly. Haru turned to Kouki, “We just need Shigeru and Yukari now, wherever they went.”

“They’re in the Auditorium.” Marise called out from the bed. “Heard them screaming about something. Whatever losers like to scream about, I guess.”

“Then let’s go. Quickly. We can get more from these guys in the trial.” Kouki practically pulled Haru out the door and began to run, “If we have time left over we can come back, right?”

Haru weakly nodded as the rooms flew by. Kouki was sure fast when she wanted to be. They retraced their steps until they got back to the Dining Hall and Kouki threw open the doors with so much force, they smacked the wall with a loud bang. Haru saw Shigeru with his mouth open, wide-eyed. “My... my...”

“My, my, hm? My, my indeed.” Haru jumped as Yukari leaned into the doorframe, “You nearly hit me, love.”

“Wish I did.” Kouki grumbled, “You’re walking on really thin ice, Yukari. After what you told me earlier, predicting Nori’s death, and now this attitude? We’re all sick of it.”

“Oh, I know. In fact, I’ve just been talking to Shigeru here about it. You see, we’ve done zero investigating, but it’s fine. There’s nothing down here to investigate anyway.” Yukari smirked and walked back into the room, Haru and Kouki following, albeit at a distance. “So then. Alibis, is it? Let’s see... I ran into Yamato and Shohei, but you already knew that. I was all over the place, you know.”

“I wasn’t. I haven’t been leaving my room very often.” Shigeru adjusted his shirt, “So I guess I have no alibi. Regardless, the issue I was addressing is this back and forth. Why bother telling off Riku if you’re not going to work to prevent this murder? And Yukari realises how suspicious this makes her. I don’t get it.”

“Because I couldn’t prevent this.” Yukari’s smile vanished, “Sometimes there are things you know are coming and yet there’s nothing you can do. For whatever reason, I couldn’t penetrate those chambers and I can’t mend a broken psyche if it’s worn down day after day. Imagine being a chef and having to cut through stone. Your blade will wear and may even break. The human mind in such a situation is similar. So all I could do was warn you. I challenged you to change fate and you failed. Now all that’s left is for you to punish the one who did it. Ah, but you were right to hurry, loves.”

Ding dong bing bong

"And time! Please stop what you are doing and make your way to the Dining Hall. No time to lose."

Haru glared at Yukari and she stared, thoughtfully back. Without a word, he turned and left, back into the Dining Hall to wait for the others.

It didn’t take long for everyone to arrive, the last being Amari and Yamato. Haru stared at the elevator door, his head feeling numb. Why had this happened again? At least one person was going to go down... And never come back up. Haru glanced at the others before he heard the all too familiar voice, “My, you all were quite quick! I like it! Here’s a fun fact. The trial ground is the lowest level! It was installed after the SRS for our purposes. Puhuhuhu!”

Monokuma waddled to the front of the group, “Now hurry, hurry into the elevator. I’m so excited I can feel my whole body about to explode! Oh... wait, I can actually explode... Oh... Sorry! Gotta run!”

With that bewildering sentence, Monokuma dashed behind the group with surprising speed and was soon out of sight. Kanna, at the head of the group to the surprise of no one, hit the button and the doors slid open and one by one, the students filed in. Haru followed Kouki but paused when he heard muttering, “Something’s not right...”

He turned to see Ami walking to the corner of the room. Here rested a grandfather clock, one of the few clocks in the entire shelter. Ami’s head was tilted up at the face and she tapped the glass hesitantly, “Is everything okay, Ami? We need to go down now.” Haru said, walking up to her.

“I’m... I’m not crazy, right? What time does the clock read?” Her voice was low and Haru quickly got the feeling that whatever she needed to know was more important than he realised.

“12:06.” He answered, “If I had to guess, Monokuma stopped our investigation at noon.”

“Right. But... There’s no way that can be right.” Ami pulled out her pocket watch, “I am constantly checking the time... My watch says that it’s 11:02.”

“Could your watch be wrong?” Haru peeked over her shoulder. Sure enough, it seemed as though there was a near hour difference between the clock and the watch.

“No. I check the time very often. It’s one of the ways I keep myself sane in a place like this. If we lose track of time... And it’s for this very reason. I don’t trust the clocks here because the mastermind can manipulate them whenever. Not just the mastermind. Anyone can manipulate them... At least this one.” Ami shook her head, clicking her pocket watch shut again, “I would have noticed if something happened to my watch. I have a really bad feeling that the killer is trying to mess with the window of time. We need to watch out for that, especially with alibis.”

_ **Obtained Truth Bullet: Ami’s Account** _   
_ **Ami’s pocket watch differs from the clock in the Dining Hall by an hour and four minutes.** _

“If the clock was manipulated, would that mean that the killer is someone who has an alibi?” Haru shot a worried glance at Ami and she looked down at the watch in her palm.

“But everyone knows I have this... The killer wouldn’t be that sloppy... Right?” She didn’t move for a moment before shaking her head once again, “Ugh. It’s fine. It’s alright. We’ll figure it out soon. Let’s go before we’re considered in the rule-breaking zone.”

She took a deep breath before making her way back to the elevator. The others were waiting or, more accurately, Marise was rapid-fire pressing the close button with Mei frantically hitting other buttons and Amari, her face buried in her palm, leaning against the opening so the door wouldn’t close.

Once Ami and Haru entered, Amari let the door go and they began their descent. It was dead silent, only soft breathing audible. It was all too clear that anything said would just be empty words. Irony hung in Haru’s head as he realised that the words of the politician had held so much meaning but would never be spoken again.

The elevator slowed and once again opened to the same room as before. This was the trial ground, where judgement would take place and the vote eventually cast. 

Haru took his place and look around him at the empty podiums. Rikuto’s picture, of course, was still there, although Haru felt as though there were scorch marks that certainly weren’t there before. In what was once Yudai’s place stood another picture. Perhaps it was of Yudai, but the picture itself was soggy and torn. Finally, where Nori had been was a picture, the post smaller than Rikuto’s and Yudai’s. His face was clear, though marked out with a big checkmark.

"I want to start with a basic explanation of the class trial. During the class trial, you will present your arguments for who the blackened is, and vote for "whodunnit". If you can figure out the culprit, only they will receive punishment. But if you pick the wrong person... Then I'll punish everyone besides the blackened, and that person will be released from the SRS!" Something about Monokuma repeating the exact same line got under Haru’s skin as the bear grinned down at them, "Upupupupu... Now then. Who did it!?

The Perfect Paragon from the Heavens, Kanna Kanichi?  
The Song Played By Emotion, Haru Tanioto?  
The Transformation of the Mirror World, Shigeru Fujioka?  
The Fortified Unmoving Wall, Amari Hoshino?  
The Inspiring Beam of Seven Colors, Kouki Maekawa?  
The Leader of Many, Follower of None, Yamato Yukimura?  
The Embodiment of Suppressed Energy, Shohei Takanichi?  
The Quiet Terror in the Night, Ami Yumekuu?  
The Tiny Whirlwind of Fire, Marise Kita?  
The Crimson-Colored Puppeteer, Setsuka?  
The Girl of Land and Water, Keroko?  
The Resolute Hitwoman of All, Mei Meiyo?  
Or the Unpredictable Executioner of Chaos, Yukari Nagakage?

Who killed Nori Sasaki?"

“I don’t like the list being shorter one bit.” Shigeru said off to the side, “In fact, I’d take a guess that the reason you list all of us is for the very reason of reminding us of our dwindling group.”

“Upupupu... Did you know that I have a deceased title for all of you too? If you want to find yours out, you have to die! Ahahaha!” Monokuma laughed, revealing his sharp teeth. “Let’s see... Rikuto’s is ‘The Spark Between Fire and Death’-- Oops, his normal one was ‘The Spark Between Iron and Heat’... Since he was posing as dead, I couldn’t just give it out. And Nori’s is ‘The Whimsical Man in Search of Nothing’!”

“Dare I ask about Yudai?” Amari folded her arms.

“Well, I already gave you his dead one because he was dead already.” Monokuma said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, “I can’t believe that the word ‘void’ didn’t tip you off! How idiotic!”

“Stupid ramblings from a loser bear. This isn’t worth my time.” Marise tapped her foot on the ground. 

“I think that it’s very important to lead with the fact that there’s a secret passage from the Vault to the Supply Room,” Ami dipped her head, “Without that fact in mind, we could have some misconceptions. Mei and I found it while examining the Supply Room. Haru and Kouki were with us.”

“Hm. Very, very interesting,” Marise smirked, “Y’know, just for kicks, I want to know everyone’s initial suspects. Any takers?”

“You mean... Besides Yukari?” Yamato answered, near immediately. “Because that’s my answer, regardless of if she faced Nori or not as he died, she is certainly responsible.”

There was a bit of silence and a few glances at Yukari before she perked up, “Oh! Am I supposed to try to refute that? Well, that’s certainly no fun. There’s not even any evidence yet.”

“Ugh. Any other suspects?” Marise glared around the room, “No? Great. It’s my turn then. This should be obvious, but once again, I’m the only one seeing through the glamour. The killer is Mei, obviously.”

“Mei again?” Ami gritted her teeth, “By all means, Marise. Care to share your reasoning?”

“Gladly. So, the murder happened in the Vault. The first issue with this is that Keroko was in the File Room prior to the body discovery. This got me thinking and realising that no one saw the killer. Of course, the stealthiest one here is Mei. As you know, Mei’s turn never came up for the torturing motive. Convenient for her.” Marise looked around, “The murder weapon was a knife, or so we think. I’m sure at least one of you thought of this. In fact, it is a trope I’ve used myself. What I am talking about is masking the murder weapon by stabbing the same spot with a different weapon post-mortem.”

“You’re saying that Mei stabbed Nori with her own blade and then got a kitchen knife to cover it up?” Kanna opened his mouth as if to say more, but thought better of it.

“I’m not done yet, because Ami just gave me a very juicy bit of information just now. Mei was among the group that found the secret passage, was it? Tell me, who activated the passage?” She paused and looked directly at Mei, “Was it you, Mei?”

“Yes. I opened the secret passage. The... er... pressure plate? It was easily found in the floor.” Mei nodded as she said it, oblivious to Marise as her mouth curled into a smirk. “I do not understand the relevance.”

“Well, consider this. You found said pressure plate because you already knew where it was. You’d found it before. I’m not an idiot, I see people for what they’re worth and, well, I admit, even you have strengths, airheaded loser. For once, you notice those tiny details, don’t you?” Marise pointed a thin finger at Mei. Her green eyes held a mixture of anger and satisfaction, “Go on, tell me you have something stupid like a piece of the floor in your pocket.”

“In my pocket..?” Mei tilted her head, “I do not possess the floor.”

The ninja reached into her pocket and pulled out some small dark things, “I took this after I saw Takanichi with them in the Kitchen. I am not sure what they are...” Next was a red marker, noticeably missing the cap, “And this I took from the Supply Room. I am very fascinated by it. It is like a pen, but big. However, I cannot make any more marks with it.”

“It probably dried out...” Kouki winced as Mei put it back into her pocket, “Why do you take all of this stuff anyway?”

“Because I wish to know what it is. If I take it, I can figure out how it works. For example, the... scissors...? The scissors I took from Fujioka. I found that when I squeeze them, they cut neat lines. They are tiny, but the precision is something amateurs should strive toward.” Mei nodded to Shigeru who adjusted his shirt collar uncomfortably, “I do not have the floor in my pocket.”

“I have made my stance very clear, I feel.” Marise had gone back to folding her arms, her weight on one leg with the other knee popped, “So Mei, what say you?”

_Nonstop Debate: Start!_   
_Truth Bullet: Kitchen Knife_

MEI: You believe that I killed Sasaki. Am I understanding?  
MEI: You say that I chased him in the tunnel and killed him in the vault.  
MARISE: Look at you! I’m so proud.  
AMI: I feel that a lot of your logic can apply to more than just Mei.  
AMI: My turn in the motive had not yet come up.  
AMI: Neither had yours, Marise.  
MARISE: Mei has the means and intent to kill.  
MARISE: She stabbed Nori with one of her swords...  
_MARISE: And covered it up with the knife!_  
NISEKO: But... which one?  
MARISE: I... I don’t fucking know! Don’t ask me.  
MEI: I killed him with neither.  
MEI: I did not kill Sasaki.

“No, that’s wrong!” Haru pumped his fist forward, “How about we use simple logic, Marise, since I know you hate thinking too hard.”

“Sounds like a roundabout way to cover up the fact that you don’t know what you’re talking about,” She spat back, “But hurry up and say what you have to say so that I can enjoy destroying the logic of a loser.”

“The knife is a kitchen knife. We’ve established that. But the killer would risk being seen by someone if they went upstairs to the kitchen to grab it.” Haru explained, watching Marise with careful eyes.

“So Mei had it with her.” Her face was cold as stone as her gaze bored into him. “I don’t see the issue, Haru.”

“At that point, why use her own blade at all? Why not just kill Nori with the knife?” Haru turned to Mei, occasionally glancing back at Marise, “Mei. How familiar are you with other weapons? Besides your katana and Takeo’s wakizashi.”

“As natural as they are, I believe any bladed object should come with ease.” Mei answered, “Tanioto. Is your question instead whether I could have killed Sasaki with the knife? Sasaki was a tiny person. I would have no issues with dispatching him even without a blade. Should the mission call for it, I will use anything I have.”

“I think that may have b-been a bit much.” Shohei mumbled, his teeth chattering, “If you talk like th-that too much, you look more suspicious...”

“I apologise.” Mei bowed slightly and when she straightened, she looked back at Haru expectantly.

“So, Mei, as a calculated... assassin, wouldn’t make a mistake like leaving and coming back. And if she already had the knife, she wouldn’t have used her own blades.” Haru explained.

“Hey, apologies in advance for this, but... How exactly is that disproving Marise’s accusation? Just remove the part where Mei used her own sword and it seems fine to me.” Kanna flicked his ponytail as he finished his sentence.

“Ha. Exactly. The perfect loser is on my side, see?” Marise grinned, “This time, you can’t refute me so easily. So keep this in mind when you realise that all the signs point to the ninja.”

“I don’t mean to cut in-- Well, yes actually, I do.” Amari sighed heavily, “But throwing around suspects this early seems a bit... Well... Let’s talk facts. We brought up the secret passage which is good to keep in mind, but how about Nori himself?”

_Nonstop Debate: Start!_   
_Truth Bullet: State of the Body_

AMARI: I conducted what I’d like to say is a thorough investigation of the body.  
YAMATO: I was there, too. Not really doing the same... But still.  
AMARI: Nori was felled by a strike in his chest.  
AMARI: The exact nature of this attack was unclear.  
SHIGERU: Nori was small, as Mei said.  
SHIGERU: I don’t think it would’ve taken much to down him.  
NISEKO: So the killer made quick work of him.  
_NISEKO: They went in, stabbed him, and left!_  
KOUKI: If that’s the case, then just how long did this take?  
NISEKO: I suppose that would be pretty quick.

“No, that’s wrong!” Haru said, cutting off Niseko, “Normally, I’d believe that, too. Especially with the information given in the Monokuma file. But from what we know, I think we can say that is a misguided thought. For once, the position of Nori’s body does not indicate a quick stabbing. He was pinned to a wall.”

“Kero. Kero kero, o ro kero korereko.” Keroko croaked and then looked around, a little desperately.

“I do enjoy having power over our herpetologist’s speech. Kyahahahaha!” Yukari grinned widely, “Ah, but I won’t lead you on. ‘Yes. If Nori was stabbed, his body would be on the ground.”

“Kero.” She nodded to confirm what Yukari had said was accurate.

“Plus, Nori had an injury on his head. I think it’s likely that was done to weaken him.” Haru scratched the back of his head as he thought about it, “Rikuto broke Yudai’s arm before killing him, but by that point, Yudai had given himself up. It’s hard to know exactly what Nori was thinking in that moment, but we can take some guesses.”

_Nonstop Debate: Start!_   
_Truth Bullet: Evidence of a Struggle_

SHIGERU: Nori really was tiny. It wouldn’t surprise me if he was knocked unconscious.  
KOUKI: By the blow to the head, you mean?  
KOUKI: But his eyes were open when we found him.  
SHIGERU: Quite, quite. However, I can’t see Nori taking on anyone here.  
SHIGERU: Well, perhaps except for Niseko.  
NISEKO: I think anyone could take me... But not Setsuka!  
KEROKO: Kero?  
YUKARI: Don’t be ridiculous. You’re small, but not helpless.  
KEROKO: Kero.  
_SHIGERU: Regardless of the specifics, I don’t think Nori would’ve stood a chance._  
SHIGERU: I think he went down fairly easily in other words.  
YAMATO: Don’t underestimate someone based on their height.  
YAMATO: Don’t underestimate Nori.

“No, that’s wrong!” Haru shouted for the third time. “If I recall, you didn’t spend too much time with the body, did you Shigeru? All over Nori’s body were cuts and his clothing was torn up. To me, that suggests that a struggle occurred.”

“Do you remember how his hairpin was loose in his hair? I’ll take a bet that it was cut out.” Kouki suggested, “Especially since it was just hanging in his hair.”

“Since they’re cuts and not bruises, I think it’s safe to say that the culprit of these scars was the knife. It makes me wonder, though. Did Nori land a blow in return?” Amari brought her finger to her chin, “In Yudai’s case, we suggested checking for injuries, but never did.”

“Yeah, because you’re not touching me!” Marise yelped, “Keep your grubby hands away from me.”

“If there was indeed a struggle, I think that narrows the list of suspects for now. Someone like Amari or Mei, trained fighters, probably could’ve killed Nori with ease.” Kanna pointed out. He looked at Amari, who was slowly nodding. “Ah, yes. Mei, do you think anyone here is injured?”

“Yukimura. Maekawa. Hoshino. However, these three were put into the glass boxes and they seem similar to before. Other than them...” Mei looked around, carefully eyeing everyone up and down, “No. Everyone else is normal.”

“It is possible that one of those th-three are masking the fact that they brawled with N-Nori.” Shohei suggested, “But I find th-that hard to believe. I might be s-soft for it, but Amari’s been k-keeping us out of trouble from the start, Kouki’s always t-trying to keep our spirits up, and Yamato... s-seems the most shaken over this. Just as a judge of character, I don’t th-think any of them did it.”

“All of that is true, but we can’t rely on emotion. People often do the wrong think for a reason they think is just. Rikuto killed Yudai to stop the motive. He had a good intention, but still murdered.” Haru bit his lip, thinking back to the last trial, “I think the killer got injured in that fight. It seems very likely.”

_ **YOUR CLAIMS STRIKE AIR!** _

“With all due respect, Haru, I feel that you are wrong in this situation. As someone with firsthand experience of hiding injuries, it’s certainly not easy to completely hide.” Amari folded her arms, looking taller and more imposing than normal. “Although Shohei has a very strong point, the recency of the injuries would be visible.”

“So what you’re saying is that because no one here has any recent injuries, Nori landed no blows?” Haru tilted his head, confused by what the bodyguard was saying, “Yamato’s torturing wasn’t long before Nori’s death.”

“I would have no issue with this, however, my goal is to protect you all, so I cannot let you make an error!”

_Rebuttal Showdown_   
_Truth Bullet: Blood in the Supply Room_

AMARI: Nori was injured in the fight.  
AMARI: But I do not believe that the killer was  
AMARI: Even though a struggle is a struggle.  
AMARI: The killer could still have gotten away without a scratch.  
AMARI: Hiding the wound among other recent wounds is quite ingenious.  
AMARI: But take Mei’s claims seriously.  
AMARI: She said that no one looked any different from before.  
AMARI: Even the three of us who were tortured.  
AMARI: I would have no issue with taking this loss, but I can’t.  
AMARI: I deeply apologise.  
AMARI: But it’s one or all.  
AMARI: And I choose to protect the most people I can.

_Advance!_

HARU: You’re not wrong that Mei said that...  
HARU: But even a minor injury can go unnoticed.  
HARU: We are among Ultimates, Amari.  
HARU: Or are you saying that as the Ultimate Bodyguard, you can’t hide pain?  
AMARI: You call into question my talent while at the same time accusing me?  
AMARI: I suppose it can’t be helped.  
AMARI: Subtle differences are normally unnoticeable.  
AMARI: But Mei has proven her sharp eye.  
AMARI: I believe that not even a talent such as mine could get past her.  
AMARI: And I must protect myself. I am certain I have the highest pain tolerance here.  
AMARI: If I did not do this, no one else could.  
_AMARI: Therefore, no one got injured. It’s as simple as that._  
AMARI: You can keep accusing me. I take issue with it...  
AMARI: But I understand your point.  
AMARI: Unfortunately, that’s a discussion for later.

“I will cut through those words!” Haru swiped his hand to point at Amari, “I’ve caught a flaw in your argument. There is no way to say with absolute certainty that the killer was not injured. It is possible, but that is all. After all, there was blood in the Supply Room.”

“In the Supply Room, you say? It could just be Nori’s blood.” Amari interjected, raising a hand, “We know Nori was cut by the knife a bit before the final stabbing. How much blood was there?”

“Droplets...” Haru admitted, “But they were scattered around the room and there were quite a bit. Ah, how about this. You investigated the body at lengths. How much blood, aside from the blow to the head and the killing wound, could have fallen to the ground?”

“Hm... Well, I guess only his right arm.” Amari thought about it for a moment, “The rest was absorbed by his clothing and his left arm didn’t bleed enough to even reach his hand. Although, his left hand fingertips were a bit stained, it seemed like it was more from touching a wound than blood running down.”

“Might I take this moment to add that I can stitch together wounds? Call medic Yukari if you ever need to stop bleeding!” Yukari’s voice echoed throughout the room and she paused, “Oh, is this not the time? Well, keep it in mind. I’d hate to see someone bleed out by accident.”

“Perhaps the killer was injured. But because of the torturing, it’s nigh impossible to judge the killer based on that.” Amari shook her head. “Alright well, I hate to accuse people. I really do, but I have a suspicion of my own.”

“Oh yeah?” Marise leaned forward, “Just who is your suspect then, Amari? Go on and tell us the unlucky loser.”

She gritted her teeth, scrunching up her face and breathed in deeply, “I apologise so deeply... I think the killer is Yamato.”

The ringmaster had been staring into his podium, but at that, he slowly lifted his head in shock, before his eyes narrowed in anger that burned so hot, Haru felt as though Amari might burst into flames. “You’d... You’d dare!?”

_Class Trial: Intermission_

\---

_Class Trial: Resume_

“Y-Yamato?” Kouki stammered, “You’ve been with him the whole time since the investigation started. You’ve seen exactly how he feels and... And... He’s one of the few people here who has an alibi.”

Haru blinked. An alibi.

“I understand that, but keep in mind that an alibi is easily faked.” Amari calmly answered.

“Yeah, yeah. Faked. Y’know... Mei even saw me! Stop being a little bitch and actually try contributing something helpful!” Yamato’s voice boomed. Haru had known that Yamato could be loud, as he almost always was, but this time, he felt shaken. He could feel the anger and desperation.

“Let’s calm down and just go over--”

“I’ll calm down once you stop being a fucking idiot!” Yamato cut her off, “How about some real evidence!”

_Nonstop Debate: Start!_   
_Truth Bullet: Yamato’s Account_

YAMATO: So what the hell even is your reasoning for this?  
AMARI: Yes, you see, Nori was the closest to you.  
AMARI: This easily gives you the means.  
YAMATO: The means!? Why...  
AMARI: Secondly, you managed to stop the motive.  
YAMATO: What does that have to do with anything?  
AMARI: I did not see you after you left the Laboratory--  
YAMATO: Shut up and answer me.  
AMARI: Very well. You have made it clear how you knew this information.  
AMARI: And there’s no doubt that there is someone much more suspicious than you.  
KOUKI: You mean...  
AMARI: I don’t think you were going to kill Nori.  
_AMARI: But rather, someone talked you into it._  
YAMATO: Someone-- What!? That’s a lie!

“I agree with that!” Haru curled his hand into a fist, “Since the moment Nori’s body was discovered, I’ve thought that Yukari had something to do with this murder. And you, Yamato, talked to Yukari before the murder occurred. One of the conclusions we came up with, courtesy of Ami, was that Yukari manipulated someone into killing Nori.”

“So you think I did it? Because I spoke to Yukari, you think I killed Nori?” Yamato growled and looked straight at Yukari, “Because _you_ came in the Lab while I was there and _you_ spoke to me, I’m the top suspect, huh?”

“Hey now, love. I may or may not have something to do with this, but you should refute your own accusations.” Yukari shrugged, “When it’s my turn, I’ll do my talking. Until then, you take it away, ringmaster.”

“May I interrupt?” Kanna raised a hand, “See, we’re incriminating Yamato based on his speaking to Yukari but... That seems a bit flimsy. Yamato couldn’t have been the only one Yukari talked to in that time period.”

“At least someone’s head is on straight.” Yamato turned to the side. “Well? Spill it. Who else saw her?”

_Nonstop Debate: Start!_   
_Truth Bullet: Shohei’s Account_

KOUKI: This has come down to a matter of alibis.  
KANNA: I did not see Yukari at all, if I must be honest.  
SHIGERU: Until the investigation? I didn’t either.  
NISEKO: She is kinda weird. Are we sure someone else saw her?  
KEROKO: Kero kero koko.  
YUKARI: ‘She pops up wherever.’  
AMI: I wish I saw her. I’d have a lot of questions.  
MEI: I see her all the time. I did not after Yukimura was in the box, however.  
_NISEKO: It seems like we’ve run out of leads._  
NISEKO: This isn’t good...  
KANNA: No, this isn’t right.  
KOUKI: I do recall Yukari coming up more than once...

“No, that’s wrong!” Haru slammed his hand down. His eyes trained on his target, he saw him jump, “Shohei. You saw Yukari, didn’t you?”

Shohei stood, frozen, for a moment before uttering a single word, “...Shit.”

“Aha! How do you feel now, Amari? Feel bad yet?” Yamato yelled at the bodyguard, “Want to apologise yet?”

Amari had her hand over her mouth in a thoughtful expression, “When exactly did Shohei see Yukari, though?”

“Y-Yeah, uh.... It was when I was upstairs. I was in the Observation Room f-facing the wall. Plugging in my stuff. Then when I turned around, she w-was right there!” Shohei bit his thumbnail, shivering, “It wasn’t long before I found the b-body...”

“Kero... Kero ko kerero. Koke kero ko kreko koko?” Keroko was looking at Yukari, but it was strange. This time she held some sort of contempt on her face. “Kero ko kere rere ro ko koroko kerokero ko ko.”

“Ah. ‘Guys... I have a question. Why are we even letting Yukari off? Just because we don’t think she is doesn’t mean she didn’t do it.” Yukari smiled a small smile, “I knew it would only be a matter of time.”

“Anyone can murder. You don’t even need a weapon.” Mei nodded slowly. “So, I agree. We should accuse Nagakage.”

“That doesn’t sit right with me, though.” Ami looked downward, “She’s smarter than that. Of course we’ll end up catching the killer. I don’t think she’d bank on us overlooking her.”

“Isn’t that exactly what you’re doing, Ami?” Yamato had his arms folding, leaning on his hoop. At least he didn’t seem as angry.

“Yukari seems really easy.” Kanna shook his head, “As much as I don’t like her... I think she plans on sticking around.”

_ **“IS THIS A DEBATE I’M HEARING!?”** _

“Now, now. Let’s keep things nice and civilised. In times like this, I have the perfect solution!” Haru had just barely glanced at Monokuma when his podium moved underneath him. Of course he recognised this from last time.

This time, he stared into Keroko’s red eyes. It was time for another face-off.

Split Opinion  
Is Yukari Nagakage the killer?

KEROKO: Kero ko kero ko kororo. (We can’t just not **accuse** Yukari.)  
KOUKI: If we **accuse** her, we’ll be heading straight for her trap.

MEI: I do not understand why you think Nagakage is **innocent**.  
AMI: Just because she didn’t kill Nori doesn’t mean she’s **innocent**.

YAMATO: There is plenty of **evidence** suggesting she did it.  
KANNA: Just as there is **evidence** incriminating others.

SHOHEI: Yukari’s been saying some **weird** things to us.  
MARISE: So she’s just being the same old **weird** loser?

NISEKO: It’s not a fair trial if we don’t accuse **Yukari**, too.  
HARU: In considering her, I think we’ll find **Yukari** to be far from Nori’s killer.

_“This is our answer!”_

“I think the answer of whether Yukari is the Blackened or not will come naturally. I’m not saying we should rule her out completely, but we should keep in mind her attitude and motivations.” Haru explained as his podium resumed its original positioned. “For now, let’s focus on one thing.”

“What’s that?” Kanna scratched his chin, “Not Yukari?”

“Alibis. I want to know who exactly has an alibi.” Haru glanced quickly at Ami who gave a curt nod. “From what we know, Yamato has one. But who else?”

_Nonstop Debate: Start!_   
_Truth Bullet: Ami’s Account_

YAMATO: You’ve heard and acknowledged my alibi.  
KANNA: I was with Setsuka, investigating the doll.  
NISEKO: Please just call me Niseko. Setsuka isn’t here.  
KEROKO: Kero. Kere ko re.  
YUKARI: ‘Reading. I was in the File Room.’  
KEROKO: Koke kero koko, keroro reko.  
YUKARI: ‘I smelled the blood, but I smell a lot of things.’  
KEROKO: Kerero keroko reko ko.  
YUKARI: ‘It didn’t seem weird to me.’  
SHOHEI: I was in my room for a while, then I went to get my brewing stuff set up.  
MARISE: I don’t have one.  
SHIGERU: Me neither.  
_AMI: I’m sorry, but everyone who has an alibi is suspicious._  
MEI: Why is this?  
YAMATO: E-Excuse me!?

“I agree with that!” Haru scratched the back of his head, using his other hand to gesture toward Ami, “Earlier, just before we entered the elevator, Ami and I found that the clock in the Dining Hall showed a different time than her pocket watch.”

“R-Really!?” Shohei gripped his podium tightly. “Wait... Oh crap. Crap, crap, crap.”

“What’s the matter, Shohei?” Shigeru furrowed his brow, “Is there a problem with that?”

“Well, y-yeah! Everything that Ami and Haru just said! If the time was d-different, no one has an alibi. I-In fact, the people who have alibis are m-more suspicious because... because... Shit...” Shohei restlessly shuffled around.

“Because they could have come up with an alibi based around the new time. What was the disparity, Ami?” Amari asked, sweeping her bangs to the side.

“One hour. Four minutes.” Ami responded, pulling out her pocket watch. “At the time I looked at it, my watch said 11:02. The clock said 12:06. An hour is a lot of time.”

_ **SPOTLIGHT: TO ME!** _

“Everyone with an alibi is suspicious, is it?” Yamato snarled, “I regret to inform you that it doesn’t matter. Everyone’s suspicious anyway. But most of all? Yukari.”

“Here we go again...” Haru muttered, too quiet for Yamato to hear.

_Rebuttal Showdown_   
_Truth Bullet: Missing Hairpin_

YAMATO: You know who doesn’t need an alibi?  
YAMATO: You know who doesn’t need a weapon?  
YAMATO: Someone who probably doesn’t even need to be in the same room?  
YAMATO: She’s got the entire shelter rigged with her stage magic.  
YAMATO: You can explain literally everything with just her damn magic.  
YAMATO: We’ve seen her draw a knife from thin air before.  
YAMATO: And that whole debate about whether the killer got hit?  
YAMATO: We saw how she handled that fight with Mei.   
YAMATO: Without a weapon, might I add.  
YAMATO: But here’s my point. She could pin it on anyone.  
YAMATO: And I’m sure she could easily change the clock’s hands.

_Advance!_

HARU: If we think like that, nothing will ever be solved.  
HARU: We can easily waive anything as Yukari.  
HARU: But the best way to look at this is innocent until proven guilty.  
HARU: Only once we eliminate every other suspect is it reasonable to vote Yukari.  
YAMATO: Fine, then let’s talk about Nori.  
YAMATO: Nori was found in the Vault.  
YAMATO: And one of your points was about that secret passage, right?  
YAMATO: As far as I’m concerned, it’s irrelevant.  
YAMATO: Why look there if the evidence is in the Vault?  
_YAMATO: There’s not even evidence that Nori was in the Supply Room!_  
YAMATO: If we trace Nori’s steps, the killer should naturally reveal itself.  
YAMATO: Do you disagree with that?  
YAMATO: None of this matters anyway. We’ll find nothing.  
YAMATO: The killer is Yukari.

“I’ll cut through those words!” Haru shook his head. “Yamato, look. I know you’re angry at Yukari, but we need to think reasonably. We brought you Nori’s hairpin which we found in the tunnel on the Supply Room’s side.”

“What are we supposed to do? Are there even any leads?” Niseko whimpered and placed her hands together.

There had to be something. Something obvious that Haru was missing.

_Hangman's Gambit: Ver.Sub_  
**_K_**FDGOERG**_A_**GOBLCVLBDFKG**_N_**GLFGLRE**_A_**

That’s right! It was the--

“I found a character in the tunnel.” Mei said, interrupting Haru’s train of thought. “It was sloppy, but I copied it exactly.”

She reached into her pocket and pulled out a crumpled piece of paper. There was red marks on it, very obviously from the marker as some of the lines were faded. “Maekawa said that it is a ‘ge’ but I am unconvinced.”

“It kinda looks like one.” Kanna observed. “If you squint. More likely than not, if Nori wrote it, he was in a hurry. The question is, what does it mean?” 

“It means Yukari.” Yamato grumbled. As he said this, Marise’s face lit up.

“That’s right! Nori had that stupid way of naming people. ‘Ge’ huh? Like ‘Geyu’?” Marise looked at Yukari. “I’m gonna hold off for now because Haru says innocent ‘til proven guilty and also, I have a different suspect.”

“Things are starting to get interesting now.” Yukari clapped her hands, “The way I see it, there are three real suspects. Myself, Yamato, and Shohei.”

“You’re still going on with that shit?” Yamato glared, “Fine, I see. I accuse you, you accuse me back.”

“Except Yukari already knows who did it.” Ami muttered, “Isn’t that right?”

“Maybe. Well, yes. I do, but...” Yukari trails off before grinning, “I wouldn’t want to give that away.”

“‘Ge’... Is there anything else we can get from that?” Niseko looked around at everyone, “Ummmm...”

Marise turned to look at the people in the circle and began with Kanna, “Chika, Toha, Kashi--”

“Not to interrupt, though I am. I do believe he called me ‘Karu’ at one point.” Shigeru cut in, but fell silent at Marise’s glare.

“_Karu,_ which makes no sense. Noa, Wako, heh, Raya, Chisho, ummm.... Hm.” She paused at Ami. “I don’t actually fucking know. Ua sounds dumb as fuck.”

“Kua.” She softly corrected.

“Right, of course. Kua, err... This is getting harder...” Marise squinted her eyes at Niseko who looked back at her.

“Ummm, I think it was... Er... Kose.” Niseko answered, “And Keroko is just Kero.”

“Mm. Yome and Geyu.” Marise looked around again, “Yup, the only one that starts with ‘Ge’ is bow bitch. Just something to keep in mind, ya know?”

“Why is it here?” Mei said, staring at the paper in her hands, “If this says something about the killer, why wasn’t it gotten rid of? It wasn’t hidden. The killer didn’t think it was important, perhaps?”

“Maybe the ‘Ge’ doesn’t stand for ‘Geyu’ and, like us, the killer didn’t know what it meant and, thus, left it as it was.” Kanna suggested, “I have to say, though. If we ignore the ‘Ge’ we still only have one real suspect.”

“One?” Yamato frowned, “And who would that one be?”

“M-Me, isn’t it. You... You think I did it, Kanna... Don’t you?” Shohei shot a glance off to the side, “B-Because... You suggested we stay with our partners. I th-think you’ve suspected me from the b-beginning.”

“Ah. Shohei.” Kanna sighed, “You caught on, did you? You’re right. I initially suspected you because you were next. Then, as I listened to your story from the Laboratory, it got me thinking. I apologise I wasn’t forthright with my accusation.”

Shohei merely looked down at his podium. His eyes looked dull and his face drawn. Kouki rose her voice, “Hey Haru. Do you remember what I said earlier? I said I couldn’t imagine anyone other than Yukari being the suspect. And... And you and Kanna talked about Antisocial Personality Disorder but... look at our suspects! Yamato is fuming with anger and Shohei is genuinely terrified. Something’s not right.”

“Antisocial Personality Disorder?” Mei cocked her head and blinked. “What is that?”

“To put it simply, it’s an involuntary way of thinking that involves a disregard for others,” Yukari explained, walking out from behind her podium, “But do you honestly think someone here has such a nasty disorder? I’ll say it straight out. That’s not the case. Do a bit of thinking, Haru. What do you think of this, let’s say... absence of a killer.”

“I want to go through one more time with alibis. Who saw someone, anyone else?” Haru took a deep breath.

There were a lot of ‘Nobody’s from the group and Haru’s frown only deepened when no new information came to light. Something was wrong there, he realised. All of the answers felt genuine and, sure, he knew the killer could be lying, but everything about everyone seemed so normal. “...But it can’t be suicide. Nori couldn’t put himself up like that...”

The others listened in silence to his ramblings. Something else disproved suicide. That was...

“Nori’s poster. He wouldn’t have torn it up himself... Nori was too scared. No, someone definitely killed him. But who!?” He said the last line with such desperation that, beside him, Shigeru shuffled uncomfortably.

There was a line of logic. There had to be. The case wasn’t impossible.

_Nonstop Debate: Start!_   
_Truth Bullet: Keroko’s Account_

KOUKI: Haru, is everything okay?  
AMI: From what I understand, we all have a similar feeling.  
AMARI: Killing someone brings its share of scars.  
AMARI: Scars that nobody here seems to bear.  
MEI: I have killed people.  
AMARI: Er, recent scars.  
NISEKO: And the people who’d be able to hide it have different restrictions.  
NISEKO: Like me. I’d probably come out with a crack or two.  
SHIGERU: Well, well... I certainly don’t think we’re done.  
SHIGERU: There has to be something we can talk about.  
SHOHEI: Y-Y’know, I just thought about it.  
_SHOHEI: The alibis are a little strange, d-don’t you think?_  
KEROKO: Kero?  
YUKARI: No translation necessary.

“I agree with that!” Haru nodded, his eyes going wide, “Keroko. You were in the File Room for a long time. Sure, the killer could’ve used the tunnel, but both the Vault and the Supply Room connect with the File Room.”

“Kero. Kerororo keko keroko reko ro.” Keroko looked sadly at the ground.

“‘Yes. But I was too absorbed to notice anyone.’ With the files I presume. Also why she didn’t investigate the smell of blood. To her, such smells must be natural.” Yukari waggled a finger.

“Exactly. You didn’t see anyone, which means the killer could have easily snuck by you. Now, it would be smart to omit seeing you from their alibi, but prior to me saying that the alibis were more incriminating, it would’ve been beneficial for the killer to say they saw you. And factoring in the messing with the clock, the killer could’ve falsified a pretty good alibi.” Haru shook his head, “So why does this seem so wrong? I have a solution.”

And the thing to show his solution...

“Yukari. We know that she at least knew about the murder because she accurately predicted Nori to be the killer. However, I’m almost certain that Yukari didn’t commit this murder. Instead, she merely manipulated it. What we saw in our investigation is what she allowed us to see. Therefore, this has to have a solution.”

“Very good. Now, Haru. What did I manipulate?” Yukari smirked, but then shook her head, “No, put together these implications first. Then it will be painfully obvious.”

Put together the implications. Haru shut his eyes and began to think.

_Logic Dive!_

_Question 1: Which person would the killer have been most likely to see?_

_A. Shohei_   
_B. Keroko_   
_C. Yamato_

_Question 2: Yukari knows the identity of..._

_A. The Victim_   
_B. The Killer_   
_C. The Victim and the Killer_

_Question 3: Who was the killing was orchestrated by?_

_A. Yukari_   
_B. The Killer_   
_C. Nori_

_Question 4: What is Yukari’s Ultimate talent?_

_A. Politician_   
_B. Psychologist_   
_C. Psychoanalyst_

_Logic Dive Complete!_   
  
_Results_

_Question 1: B_   
_Question 2: C_   
_Question 3: A_   
_Question 4: C_

“It’s all coming together!” Haru blinked, “The way I see it, the killer probably had very little input on this murder as a whole. The entire thing was planned by Yukari. It was planned by the psychoanalyst. In other words, Yukari manipulates the subconscious. That being said... Oh... Oh shit.”

“Kyahahahahaha! Oh finally, I’ve been waiting this whole time for someone to realise this! I could hardly contain myself. Call it cliche, done before, whatever the heck you want. The killer doesn’t know they’re the killer!” Yukari began to cackle, her words evaporating amongst the sea of laughter until she finally started gasping, “Oh boy. People are gonna hate this!”

“Wh...What?” Yamato’s face had gone white. “They don’t _know!?_”

“Then... all of the evidence. You manipulated it all didn’t you? The letter in the tunnel? The clock?” Haru’s voice had become a low grumble, “It was all you, wasn’t it?”

“Did you know that the letter in the tunnel was actually written by Nori? Albeit, in a different form. I just did a little messing with it.” Yukari grinned, “The actual character was- Ah. I’ll hold onto that for now, because I think you can figure it out. Kyahahaha!”

“It was there already?” Ami folded her arms, “Even if the killer doesn’t know they did it, they would have at the time of the murder, am I wrong? They would have seen that character.”

“This is what I meant. Why is it still there?” Mei tilted her head, “The killer must have seen it. It was right there. It was ugly, too.”

“Hmm... I wonder.” Yukari’s smile softened into another smirk.

“I agree. You’d have to be blind to miss something like that,” Kouki rested her chin in her hands.

“Hey, Haru. You know what braille is, right?” Yukari waved her hands and a series of dots flickered in the air. “It is the language of the blind. But what if we could simulate braille with something other than bumps?”

“Is this another one of your strange analogies?” Haru glared, “Because I don’t want to hear it right now. It’s bad enough that you’ve done this. Now we have to figure out who here is the killer.”

“Oh no, no, no, no, no. It’s perfectly relevant. Because someone here is hiding a very serious affliction.” Yukari made a pouty face, “An affliction that would render something so garish quite easy to miss.”

“Someone is.... Someone here is...” Haru felt his body go cold.

“Oh yes. Perhaps that person would need accomodations for said affliction. And perhaps they don’t need other things that some people would need.” Yukari giggled and then stopped, “Oho, have you figured it out?”

“Stop playing games, Yukari. What the hell are you talking about?” Yamato rose his voice.

“If you’re saying someone is blind, I have a lot of trouble believing that.” Shigeru shook his head, “I pride myself on being quite observant and I think I would know if someone was blind.”

Voices broke out around the room, most annoyed or angry. But Haru was silent. After all, how could he not be?

He heard Yukari’s quiet ‘Shhhhhh’ and the room fell silent. “Very well. I suppose I can tell... Ah, Mei. Would you hold up your marker?”

Mei did as she was told and Yukari turned to face someone. Someone very quiet. Someone who was shaking and holding something very close. “Ami. What color is the pen?”

Any noise that was left in the room died completely. Haru almost felt his knees give way as he saw Ami’s head jerk up, her furious shivering giving her an almost twitching look as she turned to look at Yukari. Then to Mei. Finally to Yukari again, “I... I... No-- I...”

“Go on, Ami. It’s a very simple question.” Yukari frowned, “Or do I need to shoot some--”

“I don’t- I...” She thrust her face into her hands and stumbled backward, “Ahh... Red! It’s red!”

Mei looked at the indeed red marker in her hands and looked back up just in time to see Yukari snatch it out of her hands and tap Ami over the head with it, as if it were a magic wand, “Nice try, Yumekuu.”

“What..? No... I...” Ami lifted her head up, her thick bangs wet with tears, “No... No...”

“Haru, come here. I think Ami would appreciate more if it were you and not me.” Yukari beckoned with her free finger and Haru hesitantly walked over, “You wouldn’t lie to Haru, would you, Ami? If you really have nothing to hide, why don’t you show our dear friend here your eyes? Now, what story did you tell him? Was it about being afraid of what you might see?”

Ami slowly backed up until her back hit the wall and she collapsed, sliding down. She rose her head again as Haru approached, cautiously, “I’m so sorry... I can’t hide it from you. I can’t... I’m so sorry.” Her entire hand had gone white from holding onto her pocket watch so tightly, “I’m... Please look, Haru. Please. Nobody has seen my face for so many years...”

Ami dropped her arms in defeat and Haru knelt down to brush the hair from out of her eyes. At first, her eyes were closed, but slowly they opened. Only the palest bit of color could be seen, enveloped in a sea of milky white. He felt his hand slowly drop. There was absolutely no doubt, “Why... Why did you hide it?”

“I... I...” She stammered, but a voice broke through.

“You know, I didn’t know about your past until we got access to the File Room, Ami. You were so good at hiding your secrets... So when I found out just how easily you gave in to me, well... You could imagine my shock. It’s almost like you’ve done it before.”

Ami slowly got to her feet again, weakly extending a hand toward Yukari. “Stop... Please... Don’t do this.”

“No, no. I want a proper fight from you, Ami. Go on, I know you have a trigger word.” Yukari’s face was downright twisted.

“Fi.. Fine.” She whimpered, grabbing her head, “It’s alright. It’s alright. It’s alright. It’s alright. It’s alright. It’s alright. It’s alright. It’s... alright...” She took in heaving gasps, “Because, I know...”

“You know? Know what, hm?” Yukari put an arm on her hip, “I know about you, love. Just how you’ve messed up your own brain. A proper example of when your talent backfire.”

“Shut up. Don’t do this to me. Let me die with my secrets and let me die with my own guilt.” Ami yelled, marching straight up to Yukari, “Leave me alone!”

“What is it that Monokuma called you? I recall you reacting adversely to it. I believe it was... The Quiet Terror in the Night?” Yukari tapped Ami on the nose, “Could I call you the Night Terror instead?”

“The Night Terror?” Shigeru frowned, “That sounds familiar.”

“Then I won’t give you the satisfaction.” Ami snarled, “There were a rash of killings, each done in a similar manner so that people thought it was a serial killer. They called it ‘The Night Terror’.”

“Boy, are serial killers getting stale. Especially at this stage.” Yukari yawned, “Hacked and mutilated... And the reason you hid your blindness. Because you realised when you heard about the first victim, you realised that, subconsciously, the gouging out of the eyes was tied to your affliction. Honestly, with the first victims being your father and best friend, I’m shocked that you were never incarcerated. But I suppose today we found out just how hard it is to catch a killer who is unaware that they’re a killer.”

“Yumekuu?” Mei had made her way over, “Is this a lie?”

Ami didn’t turn her head, “No... I... I did all of that. It was all me. Just a pitiful, worthless girl. Once you do something like this, you no longer mean a thing.”

“You’re wrong.” Mei looked up at her, “You’re wrong. I kill people. But I mean something, right?”

“You... You do it for a different cause. You-”

“Murder is murder. When we first got here, that’s what everyone thought. I said that I kill people and everyone was scared. Kita keeps accusing me because murder is murder. There is no difference!” Mei rose her voice.

“Mei, please.” Ami pleaded, but Mei held her ground.

“Be silent. I will not accept this. You are being manipulated by Nagakage. Therefore, Nagakage did it.” Mei growled and drew both blades, “And I will fight anyone who says otherwise.”

“Mei, no. Don’t you dare. Don’t you dare!” Ami cried out.

_Panic Talk Action!_

“Yumekuu is not the killer.”  
“Nagakage did it.”  
“Murder is murder, yes.”  
“Nagakage is more a murderer than anyone.”  
“I have killed. Hoshino has killed.”  
“Honda killed. Even if she has killed in the past.”  
“She did not kill Sasaki!”

_AAAA AA ABA AB BBA AB BA AB_

“You can not let her die.”  
“I will not let her die.”  
“Nagakage must die.”  
“It will be my mission.”  
“I am sorry to disobey.”  
“But my master is now justice.”  
“Do not get in my way!”

_AA B C AA AAA C AB C BABB AAB_

“Name one thing that incriminates Yumekuu and not Nagakage.”

**KANA ON THE WALL**

“It’s time to finish this!” Haru said through gritted teeth, “I wish it wasn’t true. But show me that paper once more, Mei.”

“Why? What does it prove?” Mei asked as she pulled it out.

Haru pulled out a pencil from his sweater and pointed out the tail of the kana. “This was a kana all by itself. Specifically a ‘ku’.” He drew the character ‘く’ to demonstrate. “The rest of it was the beginning of an ‘a’. All Yukari had to do was erase part of the ‘ku’ and draw the second line in the ‘a’ a bit lopsided. Then she added the dakuten to make a ‘ge’. He drew the ‘あ’ and looked toward Mei. “And what did Ami say that Nori called her?”

“Kua...” Mei looked down at the paper, frustrated. “I cannot believe it.”

“You must. Haru, you must convince Mei to let it go. I could myself but... I can’t bear the thought of hypnotising someone now...” Ami lowered her head, tears dripping from her cheeks.

_Closing Argument._   
_Start!_

“I’ll have to make some assumptions here, so bear with me. I suppose this case started with the introduction of the motive because that was when Yukari told us that she knew what would happen. Though it was sooner than we expected, she did indeed put a plan into motion. Sometime after Yamato’s torturing, Yukari found Ami and used her talent against her, hypnotising the hypnotist. She must’ve invited Nori to the Supply Room prior in order to get him in the right spot. I imagine that Nori would have some thoughts about Ami being with Yukari, so Yukari probably brought Ami to the Supply Room from the Vault, so as to catch Nori off guard. Once everything was in place, she left the room for Ami and Nori to enact her plan. Ami went after Nori, but he was able to slow her down by throwing some of his possessions at her. This is how his poster ended up torn on the ground and his hairpin in the tunnel. He bought himself enough time to write a ‘ku’ and the beginnings of an ‘a’ in hiragana, but Ami quickly pursued him, not noticing the writing because she is blind. Once in the Vault, he wouldn’t have had enough time to get out before Ami hits him in the head and, in his moment of weakness, stabs him into the wall, killing him. At this point, Ami’s job is done and Yukari returns to take her back. On the way through the tunnel, Yukari manipulates Nori’s writing to resemble a ‘ge’, incriminating herself. Once she’s cleaned up Ami, Yukari lets her be where she eventually wakes up with no memory of the event.”

“This hurts me so much and I wish that it weren’t true. But the culprit had to be you, Ami Yumekuu... The Ultimate Hypnotist.” Ami didn’t look away or flinch or anything. She simply stood there before a small, pained smile took her face, breaking Haru’s heart and he could feel warm tears of his own rolling down his face. Ami’s expression was one of finality.

“Upupupupu... Correct once more.” Monokuma’s smile was sly and infuriating.

“Ami... I can’t pretend like what happened isn’t the truth. It’s all too clear now.” Haru said to the side, unable to look at her any longer. The other students had fallen long silent and he almost felt like it were just them in the room.

“I had hoped--” Ami paused, her voice breaking. Then she took a deep breath and started again, “I had hoped I could spend more time here. I hoped that we could all escape together. Then Rikuto and Yudai went and I thought that... Maybe it was a one-time thing. Maybe it would teach us... But I can’t say I didn’t consider the possibility that I would be standing here, like this.”

“Because of your past, you mean?” Haru looked back as she nodded.

“That’s right. I really messed up back then and now, it’s finally come back around. I really should have realised that my watch had been tampered with...” She sighed. In a flash, her expression changed, however, as she grit her teeth, “But you-- Don’t think you’re getting out of this unscathed.”

Ami was pointing at Yukari, who was quietly leaning on her podium, “Whatever do you mean, love? I’m not the Blackened, you are.”

“You killed Nori because you were tired of him constantly poking around you. That’s obvious.” Ami didn’t miss a beat as she continued, “But why did you choose me to kill him? It wasn’t because of what I’ve done. No, the reason is far worse for you.”

“Oh dear... Don’t say something you’ll regret.” Yukari narrowed her icy eyes, straightening up.

“I’m about to die. There’s nothing for me to regret.” Ami shook her head and walked to meet her face to face. “So I might as well. The reason you chose me, Yukari, is because you felt threatened. You were afraid I would figure you out. And I have, you know. I know exactly what you are.”

“Ami...” Yukari’s voice was low and threatening.

“You were scared that I could figure out the inner workings of your mind and that’s just it, isn’t it? Deep inside, you’re vulnerable. I don’t know what your evident powers are, but I bet you that if someone took them away, you’d be nothing more than a helpless girl with nothing to fall back onto,” Ami’s face was inches from Yukari’s, “That’s why you chose now to kill. This motive was your undoing, wasn’t it? In that chamber, you would have been powerless. And nothing scares you more than being helpless, isn’t that right? I may not be able to see, but you’re the real blind one here.”

Yukari stared at her for a long moment with some unnameable expression in her eyes, but she quickly regained her composure, “My, aren’t you just a fascinating one? Ami, love, your legacy ends now. Is this how you choose to spend your final moments.”

“You’ve doomed her!” Kouki suddenly cried out, drawing the attention in the room, “You set her up and she’s going to die for your intent. She has every right to do this and I can’t think of anything I’d do in her place.”

“Yukari Nagakage. I want you to know that even when I’m gone, I’ll haunt your nightmares. Just as the Night Terror should.” Ami finally broke away from her and paused before snapping her head to the side and jerking her arm in front of her just in time to catch something that was whizzing straight for her neck.

In her hand was a familiar silver hoop and Ami winced from the friction of the spinning slowing in her palm. Haru looked to where Yamato stood. The ringmaster’s head was down low, his hat covering most of his face so Haru couldn’t read his expression, “I tried to hold it in, miss lady, but you took too long and my anger is too great.”

“I understand.” Ami made her way over to Yamato and dipped her head, “I killed Nori. It’s not something I can just apologise for. So I guess, then, it’s time for my repentance. The karma for all of the crimes I committed.”

“No...” Haru watched Mei frantically glance between Ami and Monokuma, the latter frozen in place.

“Don’t lose this, though. It’s become important to you. And I don’t think you should let the important things out of your sight,” Ami laid the hoop on Yamato’s podium and turned to Shohei’s, where the boy lay slumped over his podium. In the raw emotion, Haru hadn’t even noticed him fall asleep, “I... I said I wouldn’t, but I suppose... He said he felt bad for missing it last time... Ah... Shohei, please wake up. It’s over.”

The barista shuffled a bit before groaning and raising his head. Then he jumped up, “O-Oh shit! Am I gonna die!?” Then he took in his surroundings and placed a shaky hand over his mouth.

Silently, Ami looked up at Monokuma or, Haru supposed, raised her head in his direction. Was it instinct for her? “Alrighty then. I really hate cutting goodbyes short. I’ve learned that if I let the Blackened say goodbye, it makes everyone else feel even more despair!”

Haru felt every negative emotion crash down at the sound of Monokuma’s voice and he made a move to run forward, but Ami held out her hand, “ I told you, Haru. If I end up leaving you, don’t ever look back. Leave me behind and keep moving forward... Where I’m going, I’ll never return from and I know that any sort of escape from this nonsensical world sounds tempting but, please, I beg of you to stay in your reality and cling to your fears. Escape the proper way.”

He wasn't quite sure he understood, but he couldn't think of anything else to do or say as she wound her pocket watch, presumably setting it back to the correct time, and walked forward, passing Mei whose expression seemed very unbefitting of her, until she stood in front of Monokuma.

“Okie dokie! I’ve prepared a very special punishment for Ami Yumekuu, the Ultimate Hypnotist.” Monokuma grinned, “It’s punishment time!”

“ ...Good-bye.”

\---

Toll of the Phantom - Ami Yumekuu - Ultimate Hypnotist

There was a thump as Ami was dropped into a room, checkered black and white. Inset into the wall behind her was a large bell, like one atop a clock tower. In front of Ami lay a knife. Aside from that, the room was empty. She brought herself up to her knees, taking a deep breath. The bell behind her swayed and the clapper hit the inside with a full, resounding tone. Ami gasped, dropping to her knees. Her hand lurched forward to grab the knife and she desperately reached with her other to stop it, in vain. The bell tolled again as her fingers curled around the hilt and she quickly stood up, unsure of what would happen next. Despite being blind, Ami knew the difference between light and dark and she could imagine what shapes meant. The shadows of the room coalesced into forms that danced in her visionless mind, something she knew could possibly be real. The bell tolled once again as the phantom shapes surrounded her and she gripped the knife tighter as she heard footsteps. Crying out, she lashed her hand forward, attempting to cut one down. She swung again, but the absence of an impact told her that she was only meeting air. Her swings became more and more frenzied until she froze, hacking and gasping. Blood dribbled out of her mouth as she dropped down to her knees. It felt like time had stopped. The phantoms were no more. The footsteps had ceased. Her arms dropped to her side as the hot tears returned, stinging her eyes. Carefully, she grabbed hold of the knife once more, pulling it from her abdomen in defeat. It was far too late now, but of course, she now realised that her mind had been manipulated, not just her arm. The bleeding would soon take her. It was far too late when she noticed the ticking of a clock, the only constant noise. Her head hit the ground as the bell tolled for the final time. At least, this time, she wouldn’t forget. This time, there would be nothing to forget. With the last of her strength, she brushed her bangs out of her eyes. There was nothing more to fear. Everything would be alright.

Execution: Executed.

\---

\---

Haru’s grip was tight as he stood, shaking in both sadness and anger. Around him, there was no movement. Only stunned silence.

“Noooooooooooooooo!” A piercing, shrieking cry echoed throughout the room. Haru turned at this, weakly, to see Mei pulling at her hair. His expression softened as he noticed her tears, something he never expected to see from the ninja, “Forgive me. Forgive me for my lack of respect... Ami... Please... Please... Ami.... Amiiiiiiiiii!”

She drew her black katana and, with a wild, angry expression, threw it to the ground. Haru rushed forward to try and calm her, but in a fluid movement, he found himself centimeters from her wakizashi. “Mei...”

Despite her blade being pointed at Haru, Mei spoke to Yukari, “Nagakage. You have declared war and I am no stranger to battles. I fight with honor, a virtue I carry proudly and a virtue of which you have none. But that is fine. I shall still defeat you. This I swear.” She spun her wakizashi back into its sheath before biting her thumb. She bent down and drew it across the flat of her katana’s blade, leaving a red streak and repeating. “This I swear.”

She looked toward the bear sitting atop his chair and turned to the elevator, the tip of her katana barely above the ground. As she left, Haru noticed a familiar chain hanging from something she held in her other hand and he felt the slightest bit of relief.

“Right well, take your time leaving if you want. Monokuma out! Puhuhuhuhu!” Monokuma laughed as he swung off his chair and vanished.

“This is fucked up,” Marise growled. “I mean... She didn’t even really do anything wrong. It was this bitch, right? If I were writing this story, the one who would be punished in the end is her, not Ami! Yamato, you agree with me, right?”

“What..?” He turned to look at Marise, “Ami was the one who killed Nori. Ami put that knife in his gut.”

“You really are just a mega loser, aren’t you. She was trying to make you feel better when she gave that back to you.” The ginger girl looked incredulously and then pointed at Yukari, “Or are you saying you’re actually comfortable with her?”

“I... I don’t really know how to feel about this. All I know is that Nori is gone. Earlier, I was mad at Yukari, this is true, but now... We know Ami did it and, now that she’s gone, we can put it behind us.” Yamato looked down at the hoop.

“So you just want to move on, huh? I guess I can understand that sentiment,” Marise placed a hand over her left rib, looking the slightest bit pained, “Yeah, sure. I guess you have your own thoughts and ideals. It’s your responsibility, not mine. But that’s my opinion, okay?”

Shaking her head, Marise also went to the elevator, standing there in wait for it to return. After what seemed like a bit of consideration, Yamato followed her. Kanna took a look back at the group, also heading out and, although he was shivering and pale, Shohei scrambled after him.

Once they were gone, Kouki walked to Haru, her head hung, “I’m exhausted. I’m mentally done. I don’t think I can handle anything else. Monokuma is probably going to open another floor, right? I don’t want to explore it. Not yet... I just want to rest.”

“I feel the same way,” Amari said, also moving forward, “Ami took her death too well, it’s caused me even more heartache. She contributed a lot and... Well. Last time, she and Mei found Yudai and Rikuto’s lockers unlocked, right? We should probably go see that, although I imagine that was Mei’s first thought.”

“Ah, yes, yes. Speaking of which, I wanted to ask Mei if she learned anything about Yudai’s picture.” Shigeru raised a finger, “It might be useless to us, but any information about the unfairly deceased is an honor to their name.”

“Maybe...” Niseko trailed off, “Oh, nevermind. It’s nothing. But I do wonder why Rikuto got rid of Yudai’s Monopad.”

At the word ‘Monopad’, Haru felt his heart sink lower. Of course, the reason Ami was so interested in the Monopads must have been because hers was set up differently to accommodate her blindness. That’s what Yukari had been hinting at. He looked back to see what the psychoanalyst was doing, but her back was turned to them.

Keroko looked at Niseko for a moment before pulling out her own Monopad. She sat against her podium, pressing different options. She was probably looking for any possible hidden information.

“We shouldn’t stick around here, though.” Amari shook her head, “Let’s all rest and then find out what’s next. We need to fight back and... I need to apologise.”

She bowed and then headed for the exit, Shigeru following her. Niseko prodded Keroko on the shoulder and they also began leaving.

Kouki let out a heavy sigh, “Don’t look back, huh? How can we possibly fulfill that request? We can’t just forget this...”

“We can’t, you’re right. But I don’t think that’s what Ami meant. I think she meant that we can’t linger on this despair. Instead, we need to use it to press forward. Just as she spent her last moments moving on by facing her past.” Haru answered.

“Facing her past?” Kouki tilted her head.

“If she kept her bangs long to hide who she was from herself, then letting us see her as she died. It must have been her finally accepting herself as she was. Do you remember the other trial? Nearly everything she said was a way to get us to come to her conclusions as if she didn’t think her own opinion mattered. Today, we learned why.” He explained it while looking at where she once stood, “Because no one would believe the words of a killer. It’s exactly what Rikuto said, do you remember?”

“Yeah, I do... Nori died for a reason so twisted. He was so vulnerable and weak. And if I could have protected anyone here, I wish I could have protected him.” Kouki looked down, “And I know Ami felt at least some of that. I got that feeling from her while we investigated. She put her effort into that investigation, unaware that, in the end, it would get her killed. Nori did his best to help us, knowing that he didn’t stand a chance. And Ami didn’t fight us at the end because if she did, she’d kill us. They were both very brave.”

“Yeah. They really were...” Haru bit his lip.

“Alright, I’m heading up. Let’s just leave her here.” Kouki motioned toward Haru and went for the elevator. When Haru didn’t follow, she gave a weak smile and headed out alone.

“...You really messed up. I don’t know what made you think so selfishly, but you really messed up.” He heard Yukari turn as he spoke.

“Are you going to be that phantom now?” Yukari responded, “Haunting me in her stead?”

“No. What’s haunting you is your subconscious because you know what you did is wrong.” Haru turned, anger in his orange eyes, “I would have thought that you, of all people, would understand that.”

“Hm.” Yukari looked off to the side, “Well, I could tell you everything about how someone else works, but when it comes to myself, I guess I’m just blind like Ami said.”

“How much of that was true?” Haru asked, “What Ami surmised.”

“More than I could have ever suspected. I was right about her.” Yukari shook her head, “Regret is a cognitive state that arises from blaming oneself for an unwanted outcome, whether it be a valid blame or not. When we regret things, our brains have decreased activity in the ventral striatum, which plays to our sense of reward and motivation, and increased activity in the amygdala, which is a part of our emotional responses to states like fear and aggression. We end up coming up with coping mechanisms at some point in the stage of regret.”

“Is this yours, then? Spouting off neuroscience.” Haru narrowed his eyes, “Do you regret what you’ve done?”

“I never intended to make such bitter enemies. In that regard, I certainly did not think this through. In fact, I possibly could have made Ami into a powerful ally. However, what I did was necessary. At some point, Haru, not now, you will understand this decision of mine. Until then, think of me what you will. But remember this, love. I’m always watching you.” Yukari left with those parting words, leaving Haru alone in the trial ground.

“You may have been singing about rain earlier, Yukari, but now the only thing I can see are the phantom faces at the windows.”

Little did Haru know that it was far too early for that sentiment. How could he know? How could anyone know?

If I dare continue to document such despair, where does that leave me? Whatever it is... The false security granted by such simple words...

"It's alright."


	4. Report

“Upupupu... I’m surprised you’re letting other people keep a leash on you.” Marise groaned as the voice met her ears. Her face was buried in her pillow and she had no intention of lifting her head.

Muffled, she answered, “What do you want, loser bear?”

“I’m just wondering why you aren’t going lower.” Monokuma hopped onto the novelist’s bed. “Aren’t you curious?”

“Mildly. But your dumb trials make me think too hard and I really don’t feel like investigating.” Marise turned her head to the side to eye Monokuma, “I’ll go down when I feel like it. So... Pretty much when the other losers decide to go down. They’ll do all the work for me.”

“But... It’s really special down there!” Monokuma sheepishly placed his arms behind his back, “I put a lot of work into it...”

“I hate work. Therefore, I hate your work, too.” Marise snorted, sitting up, “I don’t care if that’s a fallacy. I’m entitled to my own opinions.”

“Fine, fine. There’s something else down there that I want you to see.” Monokuma glowered, his head lowered. “You’ll regret not seeing it--”

He was cut off by a frantic knocking at the door and, after giving a sly grin to Marise, he hopped off and vanished through the floor. Marise shook her head at the ridiculous impossibility before heading over to the door, “Alright, which one of you is-- Keroko?”

As she opened the door, she saw the herpetologist, wide-eyed and shivering ever so slightly, “Kero! Ke ke kero! Keroko kore ke!” She grabbed at Marise’s leg and began to pull at her. Rolling her eyes, Marise followed the frog girl out into the Red Hallway, into the larger hallway, and finally, to the Meeting Room. “Kerooo!”

Marise quickly understood what Keroko was so worried about as her usual glare was overtaken by surprise and what one could almost call concern, “What the...” She dropped to her knees and placed her arms around the limp, cold body of Niseko.

Flipping the doll so that she was face up, Marise began to shake Niseko. Her glassy eyes seemed dull and lifeless. It wasn’t too strange, Marise thought. Except that this was Niseko, the doll of a doll maker so skilled she could make a doll that wasn’t so different from a human. “What happened to her? Is she dead?”

“Kero... Kero ko kero...” Keroko sadly shook her head and shrugged. She held up three fingers, looking up at Marise with large, red eyes.

“Right. Three people for the BDA to play.” Marise folded her arms, “You haven’t seen anyone else wandering around, right?”

Marise hadn’t been paying attention as Keroko dragged her along, but the herpetologist had. She knew that someone had been sitting on the lockers since the trial, barring anyone from opening them. She knew that Kouki and Yamato, who’d wanted to look in Nori and Ami’s lockers, had eventually given up. So she nodded and hopped off with incredible speed. Marise couldn’t help but wonder how fast Keroko could run on two legs.

As the frog girl left, Marise turned her attention to the doll again. There weren’t any visible wounds on her and Marise had thought that in order to kill the doll, one would have to smash her or something similar. Every bit of Niseko was in place. There wasn’t even a thumb missing. There was, however, something under the doll’s shirt and, carefully, Marise pulled it out. It felt like a photograph and as she flipped it to look at what the contents were, her eyes widened. The picture was of a woman in a lab coat, with long blonde hair, laying on the floor in a pool of her own blood. Strewn across the floor were her intestines. A finger lay several feet from her and, closest to the camera was the worst bit, an eyeball, blue and dull, removed from her head. The subject was the only lit thing in the picture, but in the background, Marise could make out tiny bodies, hanging from the ceiling. With no one in the room to see her, she shuddered.

With the hallway being so close and Mei being relatively obedient, it didn’t take long for the two to arrive and Marise quickly stuffed the photo into her pocket, “What has happened?” Marise looked as Mei locked eyes with the unmoving doll and waited... But nothing happened, “I see. Three people, no Monokuma.”

“So then what’s wrong with her?” Marise picked up the limp doll, “Did something happen to Master Loser? If so, I have no idea what to do about it. We can bring this one to her room.”

“Kero kero ko. Kero.” Keroko croaked, pointing at Niseko. She tilted her head but then hung it as she realised that the others didn’t understand.

“Do you want to hold her?” Marise suggested and the herpetologist frantically lifted her arms and shook her head. “Alright, well... We should tell the other losers. Go get them, Keroko. This is the Meeting Room after all.”

Keroko sighed but did as she was told, hopping out once more. Marise placed Niseko in a chair and sat in her own. It was second nature to sit in the same order as the trial grounds and Mei followed suit, “You believe that Nagakage was responsible.”

“Huh? You mean for Nori’s death?” Marise turned her head to look at Mei, staring at the table. “Absolutely. It doesn’t matter that Ami landed that blow if she was under the control of the bow bitch.”

“And do you believe that people who kill are bad people?” Mei looked at Marise, her expression unreadable.

“I don’t like you, Mei. Haven’t I made that obvious? You’re more trouble than you’re worth and I think you’re dangerous. But if I’m being completely obvious, I don’t think you’re a “bad person”. But don’t think for a second that I will ever see a death here and not assume that the killing machine didn’t do it.” Marise frowned and bit the inside of her lip, “I know killers who are bad people and I know killers who are not. Ami was not a bad person. Rikuto was not a bad person, I hope.”

“I see. Are you injured, Kita?” Mei pointed to Marise’s left rib, where she was once again holding.

Marise looked down at it and then back up at Mei, “No. I’m not.” Marise hesitated, but slowly opened her jacket to show the rest of her black shirt, poking at it with her free hand to prove her point, “I suppose it’s just a habit of mine.”

“You are surprisingly insightful,” Mei noted, prompting an angry glare from Marise. She looked toward the door a few moments before Marise heard footsteps, “They have arrived. Some of them.”

They watched as the group filed in, a few at a time. Marise picked up Niseko once more and laid her on the table and looked around. Without the doll, there were eleven left. Marise eyed the empty seat next to her, where Ami would’ve sat and grit her teeth, “So, the loser doll has keeled over. But Setsuka’s not dead because there was no BDA.”

“BDA?” Mei echoed, tilting her head.

“Body Discovery Announcement. Get with the program, you idiot.” Marise rolled her eyes, “So this has to mean something, right? Maybe something on the lower floor will reactivate this animated dummy.”

Shohei snickered at Marise’s pun but quickly shut up when he noticed no one else reacting. He then took a breath, “I-I don’t want to be that guy, but are w-we really ready to go down there?”

“If not now, then when?” Yamato folded his arms, “If you’d asked me yesterday, it would’ve been fine. But there’s no ‘ready’ anymore.”

“Then we should go down. But first...” Kouki turned to Mei, “We need to know what was in the lockers, Mei.”

“I see.” Mei lowered her head, “I opened them. I do not understand what the contents are. Sasaki’s is in his, er, locker still. It was too big.” She reached into her pocket and pulled out what looked to be a small journal of sorts. The cover was adorned with roman numeral leaving little room for doubt. This was once a possession of Ami’s.

Mei slid it across the table to Haru, “It makes no sense. There are no words.” When Haru opened it, the contents surprised him, but only for a moment. Just until it made sense.

“It’s written in Braille. I wonder if Ami wrote this herself...” He flipped through the pages but, as expected, there was nothing but Braille. “Can anyone read Braille?”

There was a low muttering, but no one spoke up. It was to be expected. Shigeru folded his arms and motioned to Yukari, “And what about you? Can you read it?”

“Hm?” Yukari blinked as if she weren’t paying attention. She looked toward Haru and pursed her lips, “Oh. No, of course not. Why would I be able to read it?”

“You can summon weapons out of thin air, but you can’t read Braille.” Kanna frowned, “Alas, I cannot read it either. It’s quite the embarrassment to admit. Oh, but, Yukari. Didn’t you create a word in Braille during the trial?”

“I did. It said ‘Yukari’. In other words, I only know my name.” She nodded as the red smoke crept from underneath the table to form the word again. “But that’s it, love. Just my name.”

“Hey, just a suggestion. It’s unrelated to this but...” Kouki hesitated, “Maybe we should, er, lock Yukari up somewhere. So that she doesn’t do an encore of that terrible trial.”

Amari shook her head, “I doubt we could do anything to restrain Yukari. The only thing we can do is keep our eyes on her.”

“If you want me to stay in my room, I’ll stay in my room. That’s no issue, love.” Yukari stared at Kouki with a straight face, “Just say the word.”

“If telling you what to do is so easy, w-why won’t you just be compliant?” Shohei said, his teeth chattering, “This would a-all be so much easier, wouldn’t it?”

“It would be no fun. In a place like this, you have to make your entertainment, you see.” Yukari gestured with her hand, “Not that the killing was entertainment. That was something that was necessary. Someday, if you live long enough, you’ll understand why. But for now, I’m just a wicked demon. Kyahahaha!”

“A w-wicked demon? More like a bitch-- I mean witch.” Shohei clicked his tongue and stood up. “W-We should hurry and explore downstairs, though. I kinda just thought about it, b-but, well, Monokuma really wants to k-keep this game going, so who knows how long we have.”

“Good point, good point.” Shigeru also got to his feet. “Well, Kanna. How shall we divide up this time?”

“Let’s just stick with our previous exploration groups. We’ve lost Ami and Niseko since then, though... Mei will have to join either Marise and Niseko or Haru and Yamato” Kanna asked, watching as the novelist’s face twisted into an expression of disgust.

“Pfft. Like hell, I’m exploring with this woman. You must be crazy!” Marise’s face twisted into one of disgust, but a sticky slap to her face diverted her attention to Keroko who was angrily croaking.

“Sorry, but I plan on going to the hallway. I want to look in Nori’s locker.” Yamato’s hat was tilted down, covering his eyes. “In other words. Be with Haru.”

“I would like to go with Nagakage.” Mei said suddenly and the room fell into silence. “Is that alright?”

“Why? I thought you were mad at her.” Haru scratched the back of his head.

“Yes, I am angry. However, if I do not talk about my anger, it won’t go away. Grandfather taught me that.” Mei bowed, “So I wish to explore with Nagakage.”

“You can switch with me. I don’t really want to investigate with Yukari anyway,” Kouki muttered. “Besides, I’ve investigated with Haru enough to know that we work pretty well together.”

“Alright then. You’re with us, then, love.” Yukari smiled a deceptively warm smile that not even Mei could believe, “Let us away to the elevator.”

The group, minus Yamato, passed through the Auditorium and into the Dining Hall. Once everyone was in the elevator, Keroko hit the down button with her tongue.

_Ding!_

The doors opened to the Office Room and Keroko hit the button again. This time, they sunk lower and there was a fluttering sense of apprehension in her belly.

_Ding!_

The doors opened to a dark hallway. The students filtered out and looked around. There was a large set of heavy double doors in front of them. To their left was another door that was much smaller. “It’s locked.” Yukari murmured, very quietly. Hearing her, Shigeru went to go test it out and yielded no results.

“Then we’re all starting through this door,” Amari sighed, “Alright. We should get this over with.”

There was a small button next to the doors that read ‘Open’ and Amari hit it. There was a hiss as air escaped from the next room and a nearly forgotten smell assaulted them. The smell of greenery.

The room was huge, but most striking was the vast amount of greenery. It almost looked like they were in some sort of jungle. Immediately, Keroko hopped up a nearby tree with ease and looked over the canopy, “K-Kero!” She pointed forward and the group headed that way.

What Keroko had seen was a large clearing in the center of the room with a giant tree in the center. From here, it really felt as though the room were outside aside from the rounded walls that lined the room. It truly was humongous and Keroko was afraid she might get lost. She hopped down and began to climb the larger tree until the other students could no longer see her. Her voice came down, however, “Kero koko kore ro. Keroko kero kero! Ko kero!”

“There are three doors. One on each side. Something about a ceiling.” Yukari said, inspecting her nails.

“So, if we have four groups, three of us go through doors and one stays in here. This is a pretty big place, so one of the groups of three should stay here.” Kanna explained as they split into their groups.

“I would like to volunteer our group if that’s alright with you two,” Amari addressed Kanna and Shigeru. Shigeru nodded his approval. No one else objected, to which Amari slightly smiled.

“That’s settled, then. Who wants to go north.” Kanna asked, pointing toward the north.

“Let’s just get it over with. Hey, Keroko. Get your green ass down here.” Marise called up the tree and quickly, Keroko began to hop down with an unamused expression.

“To the right?” Kanna once again pointed.

“We can go there,” Haru said after the other group stayed quiet for a bit. He realised that neither Mei, Shohei, nor Yukari held strong opinions as he watched their group.

“Which leaves the last group to the south.” Kanna nodded. “Yeah, this should work just fine. Let’s break.”

Marise rolled her neck as she led Keroko to the north. The door was just as heavy as the one that led from the elevator and when she pressed the button to open it, the hissing force of the air made her flinch. She blinked as she stepped through.

“...Kero?” Keroko crept up to what looked to be a large control panel and her face lit up. She stared up at many dark screens and smiled, then scanning the buttons. Eventually, she landed on one and the screens lit up to show different parts of the Arboretum just outside. She pressed another button and words that made no sense to Marise appeared on the screens. “Kero! Kero ko kero!”

Keroko knew that this was a data collection of the Arboretum and that it possibly functioned as a control for the settings of the room. Though one of the numbers she read made her slightly sad: Current living lifeforms -- 0.

Of course, she didn’t really expect much else. Why would there be living creatures other than them in a shelter far underground? As a herpetologist, her first passion was reptiles and amphibians, but until she found some, if ever, the trees would have to do. Her scientific mind immediately started running as she wondered what was allowing the plants to grow and just how healthy they were.

“Oi. Frog girl.” Marise frowned, clutching Niseko’s limp body tightly, “Are you dozing off? What is this thing?”

“Kero?” Keroko pointed at the screens and then the doors. Marise nodded at the obvious connection and Keroko hit one of the buttons, text appearing next to one of the trees on the screen.

“A shirofugen sakura tree. So this thing tells us what all the plants are. And judging by your reaction, probably more.” Marise ground her teeth, “Sometimes I forget that you’re a scientist, you know.”

Keroko let out a raspy noise that Marise figured was a chuckle and leaned back, “So this is a data room, huh? There doesn’t seem to be more to it.”

The herpetologist shrugged and went back to the panel. It was interesting enough for her and as long as she was doing the work, Marise didn’t particularly care as she sat on the ground against the wall, entertaining herself by messing with the doll.

\---

“What the heck?” Kouki furrowed her brow as they reached the door. The door itself was cold steel, bolted in. It wasn’t the door she was confused about, though. She had attempted to turn the doorknob but found it locked. Curiously enough, the lock was right there. “It locks from the outside? Why?”

Haru had come around to look at it and scratched the back of his head, “I dunno. I wonder what’s inside.”

Kouki turned the lock and then the doorknob and opened the door into blackness. The light from the Arboretum spilled in, but the darkness was suffocating. Haru stepped inside first and then froze.

“Kukukukukukuku... The door locks from both sides, didn’t you know?” The voice was unfamiliar to him. It was soft but had an edge of something strange. Something manipulative. Kouki had followed him in and was now white, shivering slightly, “Do you think me a ghost, artist? Miss Kouki?”

“Is this... Is this the mastermind?” Kouki shuddered. She felt cold, full of apprehension, and she grabbed Haru’s sleeve.”

“Kuku...”

Haru, who had been looking around for the source of the noise turned around. There she stood, Haru wondering where she had been to slip behind them. Her arms were raised and once Haru had noticed her, she brought them both down and the room flooded with light, blinding the two for a moment. Haru saw strings attached to her hands connected to what looked to be heavy shutters.

Kouki turned around and gasped. She had never met this person before, but it was obvious who she was at just a glance. She had long, deep purple hair that curled and wrapped around itself and a red dress that seemed like a blend of cultures. Eastern-style patterns adorned the sleeves and midsection atop a western-styled dress. It transitioned into a pleated skirt and she wore strange looking shoes. If the color of her hair and dress didn’t give it away, her odd hat certainly did. This was the doll maker herself, Setsuka.

“So that’s why Niseko stopped working,” Haru realised aloud. Setsuka’s bangs were cut in a way that cast a shadow over her face. Her eyes were almost completely obscured and it unnerved Haru. Especially after... “You’re here now and because of that, Niseko is no longer necessary.”

“She was... my proxy.” Her odd hesitation made Kouki uneasy. Everything about Setsuka felt strange and alien, “The reason she is deactivated is because I am no longer behind her control panel... I must acquire her and switch her into AI mode to reactivate her.”

“Niseko has an AI?” Kouki looked up wearily, “So then, were you controlling her the whole time or was she...”

“I was forced to control her. I would appreciate my Monopad back, for I would much enjoy seeing if that rule is still there.” Setsuka’s wording almost reminded Kouki of Yudai. They both shared a similar roundabout way of talking.

“That rule?” Haru frowned, “What rule?”

“Kuku... Had you asked, I would have shown you... I had an extra rule. Participation. It would have been easy to cull Niseko and refuse my position, so it was a rule to force me to comply.” Setsuka’s smile felt hollow, “So, lovely ones. Shall I investigate with you?”

She motioned toward a large telescope in the room, “I do already know this chamber, however. It is merely an observatory lived far past its time.”

Kouki walked over to it and looked through, but all she could see was darkness. Setsuka must have meant that it was in disrepair. The room was decorated with stars. The walls, ceiling, floor, everything, was of dark coloration. Kouki didn’t know much about the night sky and she wondered if the depiction was accurate at all.

“Who has Niseko?” Kouki jumped a bit before turning. Setsuka’s question almost sounded threatening.

“With... Marise, I think.” Kouki answered with a shaky voice. “She had her before...”

Setsuka once again smiled and licked her lips, “Ah, Miss Marise... She was quite the tormentor to my dear, precious Niseko. I shall enjoy my spell of retribution.”

“I don’t like the sound of that...” Kouki’s voice was soft and she shrank back as Setsuka’s grin grew wider, “Now that I have been freed from the prison of control, I have absolute liberation once more. Oh, have I been primed to face the ones to whom I have spoken yet not met... Especially her. That psychoanalyst... Yukari...”

Before Haru could say anything, Setsuka left, her skirt and hair billowing behind her and her laughter echoing in the small Observatory. “I think we should follow her before she tries to murder Marise or something.”

“A-Agreed.” Kouki nodded hurriedly and exited the room, Haru closely behind.

\---

The door to the south was very different from the others. It was made of wood which gave Shohei an idea of what the door led to. Beside him, Mei knocked on the door and, when there was no response, she opened it. Shohei shook his head at that but followed her in.

As he’d thought, the room, all wooden, was lined with different types of gardening tools. Shovels, hoes, watering cans, saws, fertiliser... There was so much that Shohei couldn’t categorise it all.

“My... What a boring room we’ve found this time.” Yukari sighed, but Shohei could tell she wasn’t surprised in the slightest, “At the very least, you enjoy herbs, isn’t that right, Shohei?”

“Y-Yeah. I guess so...” Shohei watched at Yukari motioned toward a wall where plants seemed to be growing out. He walked over and his already wide eyes widened some more as he recognised some of them, “...W-Woah.”

“I know you don’t know all of them, so of course, I could help you...” Yukari paused as Shohei began to sift through leaves, “But of course, nobody trusts me now, do they?”

“Why did you do it?” Mei leaned against a wall, her red gaze trained on Yukari, “Were you really scared as Yumekuu said? Did you kill Sasaki because you didn’t want to go into the box? And did you kill Yumekuu because she understood you?”

Yukari turned her head, “I suppose if I let you come with us, I am obligated to at least hold some form of a conversation. So then, Miss Meiyo. What do you think?”

“I think that you were wrong. If someone understands you, there is even less of a reason to kill them because those people are the ones that become close to you. Yumekuu would not have made fun of me because I do not know what this is,” She tapped the handle of a shovel, “But would have explained it because she understands.”

“Well, first of all. That’s a shovel. ‘Shovel; Noun; A tool with a broad head used for scooping and moving around dirt.’ It requires strength to use it,” Yukari explained, “As for what you are saying, I find myself drawn to people who don’t understand me. For, because of that reason, they are easy to manipulate.”

“You’re s-so straightforward sometimes,” Shohei glanced back, “Wh-Why would you say that aloud? You’re not helping your trust i-issues. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I’ve always w-wanted to be friends with a psychotic murderer, but y-you’re weird even by that standard.”

“No. You’re wrong, Nagakage. The person who interests you the most is Tanioto.” Mei folded her arms. “And that is because Tanioto reminds you of someone you knew once. Someone who is probably dead.”

Yukari didn’t say anything, though she pursed her lips. The air around her began to fill with the red smoke and it reached out like a tendril to touch Mei’s face, but the ninja didn’t flinch. The psychoanalyst smiled a thin smile, easily seen through, her icy eyes narrowed. “You really are more observant than you look, Mei. Is it because Takeo is dead that you came to this conclusion? Or perhaps because you feel the same way about someone else in this building.”

“I do not follow him like a dog, though.” Mei batted at the smoke, “I recognised that he bore similarity and moved on to someone else.”

“Because you don’t really know Keizou? Is that it? You want to be understood and, because you, in turn, don’t understand Keizou, you left this person alone.” Yukari’s expression resembled a viper, watching its prey, “But haven’t you ever wondered if you could understand Keizou through getting to know that person?”

“I understand. By observing Tanioto, you hope to gain insight on this person he reminds you of.” Mei dipped her head and began to walk off, but the smoke pulled at her hood, preventing her from getting too far.

“Be careful with your words, Mei. I wouldn’t want you to become a target, also.” Yukari stared a moment longer and then the smoke dissipated, freeing the ninja.

“Why are we playing the pronoun game? Who here is she t-talking about?” Shohei asked Mei, frowning.

“Ah.” Mei dipped her head, “Kanichi.”

\---

Kanna rubbed his temples as Amari walked up to him, “We could never search this entire place in a timely manner, but it all seems the same anyway.”

He nodded, glancing around. Aside from the large tree in the center, nothing really stuck out to him. “Where’s Shigeru?”

“I don’t know. I think he went that way,” Amari pointed to the east, “But that was a while ago.”

“Let’s walk, then.” The prodigy led Amari as they walked in the direction she’d pointed. Kanna paused for a moment, noticing the light fluttering of his cape. There seemed to be the slightest hint of a breeze. The way the Arboretum was set up made it seem like they were in open air. The walls seemed to stop after going up to great heights and ‘sky’ could be seen behind them. It was all fake, Kanna knew, but it was a convincing simulation, “Do you ever have doubts about your talent, Amari?”

“All the time. I guess I don’t have nearly as much pressure as you though--”

“K-Kanna, Amari! I’m glad I found you,” Shigeru’s voice pierced through Amari’s words and he burst out from behind a tree. “I’m gonna get the others, but long story short, Haru and Kouki came back from their room with an extra.”

“That’s not nearly enough information... Ah...” Kanna trailed off as Shigeru darted off. He turned to Amari, frowning, “An extra?”

“I’ve no idea.” Amari shook her head, “Let’s go look--”

“Kukukukuku... Ah, yes. Finally. The barrier of glass no longer divides us...” Amari sighed as she was cut off yet again, but her eyes snapped back up as she realised that the voice was unfamiliar. She turned to see the doll maker, Haru next to her and Kouki trailing behind. “Do not pause me here, Miss Amari... Let us away to the glade of the forest.”

She swept past Amari and Kanna, who both stared, dumbfounded. “If you couldn’t tell at first glance, this is Setsuka.” Haru said as he passed, “Come on. We’re meeting at the clearing.”

Kanna nodded slowly and joined the group. As he walked, he addressed Amari, “Have you heard of Mary’s Room? It’s a thought experiment where a scientist named Mary is to observe the world from a black and white room with a grayscale monitor. She learns everything there is to know about color, yet never experiences it. When she is released, will she learn something new through seeing color? It’s an example of qualia, a state of perception.”

“Are you comparing it to Setsuka, then?” Amari asked and Kanna nodded, “In seeing us all through Niseko and now meeting us face-to-face... I see.”

They eventually made it to the clearing and Setsuka simply stood, unresponsive to anyone. She laughed quietly at any attempt at conversation. That was until the others arrived. “I see you have reinstated Niseko to her rightful position, Miss Marise... Perhaps, for that act of virtue, I shall spare you the retribution for the action of harassment toward my dear child.”

Marise frowned, crossing her arms after handing the lifeless doll to Setsuka. She already didn’t like her solely based on how she spoke, not even factoring in the threat.

Setsuka then turned to look at Yukari. This was what she had been waiting for. She licked her lips and approached the psychoanalyst, who looked back with a curious expression, “Miss Yukari. I must concede, the way you eliminated the hypnotist was superlative. Yes... Someone like her... Evoke in me once more... What was it that Monokuma said? Kuku...”

“You must be more specific, Setsuka.” Yukari tilted her head, a small smile playing on her lips, “What would you like me to repeat. Or rather, what shall you repeat in my stead.”

“Yes. Master criminals, he informed. Though his terminology was quite mystifying, there is no reservation in my conclusion of his intent. Murderers... The executioners here.” Setsuka’s grin grew wider, “Are you not ‘The Unpredictable Executioner of Chaos’? Kukuku... I wonder... Just whose life did you extirpate? Or was it massacre rather? Were you daunted by Ami’s aptitude in conviction? She could have ascertained the history of both you and I.”

“I do not have any contradicting thoughts on your statements,” Yukari said and, watching, Kanna felt as though he were witnessing a debate unlike any other. With two beings with vast knowledge unknown to even him.

“Yet... I am not afraid. Kuku... I fear not the consequence of my proclamation’s deliverance. For I am one of the alleged ‘Master criminals’. Kukuku...”

Marise swallowed, placing her hand over the pocket in which she stored the photo she’d taken off of Niseko. It was then that she realised that Setsuka would notice it missing and that it was no secret that the one who had the doll in tow was her. Biting her lip, she turned around, “I need to go.”

And the novelist ran. She ran as fast as she could, her twin tails fluttering behind her as she did.

\---  
Haru hung by the elevator, still on the lower third floor. His eyes were glued to the room he had not explored as it had been locked when they’d arrived. In their conversations about what they’d found on this new floor, he’d learned that it was the room that Setsuka had been held captive in, but he’d yet to see it himself. He approached the door, a thick slab of metal, though not airtight like the door to the Arboretum, and turned the heavy handle. To his surprise, it turned.  
The room was dimly lit and small. Haru blinked, though, as someone already occupied the room. She didn’t even turn when she addressed him, “Can you imagine being in here for as long as she must’ve been? I certainly can’t.” Amari held some sort of goggle-like object in her hands. It reminded Haru of a virtual reality headset. The bodyguard sighed and turned around. “She saw through this and moved through control input. It’s a wonder she kept it up... Though I suppose if your life were threatened, you’d have no choice. I doubt we’ll need this room, but I think the best name for it is the Control Room.”

“Careful. You’d made Shohei jealous with wordplay like that.” Haru smirked and Amari returned a light smile, “What are you doing here, though?”

“I assume the same that you were doing. I was just finishing up, though.” Amari’s expression darkened and she bit her lip, “You know how during the investigation of Yudai’s murder we investigated Rikuto’s room and, likewise, Nori’s room in his murder investigation? I was wondering if those rooms had since locked. And, if they haven’t... What about the other two? Ami and Yudai’s?”

“You’re going to go check then?” Haru frowned, hesitating, “Are... you sure about that?”

“Absolutely. I can see your reservations, but I’ll invite you anyway.” Amari extended an arm and Haru noted a small bag in her other, “Care to join me, Haru?”

“I just can’t get a read on you, Amari. Sometimes you’re so formal and other times more casual.” Haru shook his head but took her hand anyway, “Anyway, yeah. I’ll come with you.”

“Is it really so weird? As a person, you’re quite casual, Haru.” Amari began to talk as she led him out of the Control Room and to the elevator, “And yet, as a performer, you must be quite professional, right?”

“I think I can piece it together from here. You change your behavior based on the mood around you, right? It’s whatever you feel serves the people around you better.” Haru glanced up at her and she gave a deep nod.

“As the Ultimate Bodyguard, I have been around quite a few people and learned how they cope. Among some of my clients have been fellow Ultimates.” Amari began to explain as she continued for the hallways. “My current client is a family, actually. Among which is a daughter who is an Ultimate herself. She is the Ultimate Solar Physicist. Quite the title, hm?”

“Sounds... complicated.” Haru watched as Amari paused in front of the Red Hallway.

“When I last saw her, she was far too busy with the predictions of the solar flare. She was heading that investigation and she was so determined... I wished there was something, anything, I could do... But I was better off in my position of bodyguard.” Amari sighed and Haru felt his mind begin to overload with questions, “Ah, I suppose it doesn’t matter who’s room we try. Instinct brought me here, so I suppose we’ll go for Ami’s room, first.”

She led the way as Haru began to shoot off his questions, “Hold on. Solar flare? What solar flare?”

“Have you not heard? A massive solar flare was predicted to erupt soon. One so big, they had no idea what to do. When I heard we were in an underground shelter... Well, let’s say I’ve had to suppress my worst fears. The fear that perhaps that event has already transpired.” Amari took a breath, standing in front of the Kiriganai door, Ami’s door. “Rika Asahibashi, the solar physicist, told me that there wasn’t enough time to save all of humanity and yet, she was hyper-focused on finding a solution. I fully believe that she is capable of doing it. In my own perception, not enough time has passed for the solar flare to have occurred, but at the same time, with all of the crazy stuff that’s happened in this shelter, there’s no telling how much time has passed. Whether the sun erupted already or not, I can only hope that Rika is doing or did her best.”

With those words hanging heavily in the air, Amari tried the door and when the curt click of the handle turning sounded, she allowed a smile to once more pass over her face, “I’m sure this room is familiar to you, isn’t it, Haru?”

He walked into the stark white room first. Despite no longer housing a person, the pendulum still swung in perfect time with the passing seconds. “The reason her room is completely white... It’s because color held no meaning to Ami. Thinking back, I should have guessed. There were so many hints.”

“It’s amazing the amount of conviction Ami held to be able to hide such a big secret. And even bigger was the secret of the Night Terror. Such an elusive side of her that even she did not know its full nature.” Amari sighed a deep sigh of sorrow, “Ami’s life must have been full of such sadness. Between her blindness, constantly being misjudged, right down to her talent backfiring and creating a murderer.”

“Her father and her best friend. She killed them. In the end, I don’t really know how much of what Ami told me about her feelings was the truth, but I know for a fact that she was scared. Especially for her mother.” Haru stared at the empty bed, “All she wanted was normalcy. And that’s why, in her final moments, she begged us to move on.”

“I agree. And there is something I have concluded. Her phrase of ‘It’s alright.’... I wonder if it was created not just as a way to calm her anxiety, but also as a way to counteract her own mishap. Perhaps she managed to quell the Night Terror with that simple phrase.” Amari grit her teeth, “Well, sometimes the histories of the selfless are the ones that surprise you the most. Come along. I can tell that being here is rattling you.”

Amari led Haru out of Ami’s room and, without a word, they entered the Blue Hallway. Turning directly to the right, they stood in front of the door bearing the crest of Neptune’s Trident School. Even the name itself lends more than enough evidence to scream this to be Yudai’s former dorm room. Amari opened the door and stepped inside, Haru quick to follow.

The room was, unsurprisingly, blue, with decor one might find in a beach house. For the most part, however, the room was empty. Amari opened her mouth for a moment, “Odd.”

Haru picked up what she was getting at nearly immediately, “If everyone’s room is tailored to their talent... Why does his room look like this?” Amari made her way to a dresser before reaching into the bag. She pulled out three items, Yudai’s mask and his gloves. As she lay them down, Haru continued, “There’s nothing in this room that would lead me to believe that Yudai was the Ultimate Mask Maker.”

“It is quite strange.” Amari said after a moment, “And I am beginning to wonder if it might not be his name that Rikuto was hiding after all. The monopads give us both the names and the talents.”

Haru’s eyes widened as Amari brushed past him. She had a sense of urgency, now. “I have yet to see Rikuto or Nori’s room, although I know you have. I wish to pay my respects to them as well, however... Yudai’s room troubles me.”

Rikuto’s room, the Rumbling Boulder room, being adjacent to Yudai’s, was their next destination, “Rikuto. He was with us for longer than Yudai and yet...” Haru didn’t finish as he stepped into the industrial dorm room.

“Posing as Yudai for so long, it was overwhelming to learn that he was not, in fact, dead.” Amari agreed, “I would not have guessed him to be that good of an actor. How observant must he have been to get most of Yudai’s mannerisms down? I understand that Yudai has a unique voice, but Rikuto mimicked it near perfectly.” She approached the table that Mei had found the scissors on and lifted the bag onto it. She unwrapped it to reveal both Rikuto’s torch and mask.

“I can’t imagine it...” Haru murmured. “And yet... I had to catch that imperfection...”

“That’s right. But don’t feel bad about it. I don’t think Rikuto would have been very happy if he won that trial.” Amari noted, “He fought hard but I think, had the rest of us been sacrificed... Well, Rikuto was an honest man and... I don’t think he would have lived much longer than us, out of his own sense of respect.”

Amari looked down for a moment before heading toward the exit, slowly. “Amari, are you okay?”

She led the way to the last door on their trip, Hoshigakirei. Nori’s room. “I have tried so hard to justify myself in this situation. As a bodyguard, my job is to protect and, still, we’ve lost four people. It’s very simple. I’ve failed in that aspect and the only way I can make it up is to allow the dead to know that I have not forgotten them.” Without pausing, she made her way straight to the podium where she lay down two identical objects, Nori’s hairpins. “I have no doubt that there will be more victims of this cruel game, so I must step down from my pride. I am doing my best and it’s not enough. Nothing will ever be enough. But you know it as well as I do and moving on is much better than forever grieving. Thank you for joining me, Haru. Please, make good use of the rest of your day.”

Amari dipped her head and excused herself, leaving Haru alone in the politician’s room. His gaze lingered on the moon-shaped hairpins for a moment before he, too, left the room with a silent wish of peace for the deceased.

His head was low, so he didn’t notice when he nearly ran into someone on his way to his own room, “Oh my, you seem quite down, don’t you, love?”

He lifted his head with a very contempt expression, “What the hell do you want, Yukari?”

The blonde bit her lip, very unamused look in her icy eyes, “You have spent this entire time in this killing game, this limited space of the SRS, avoiding me. And now, I realise, after the deaths of one Nori Sasaki and one Ami Yumekuu, there is very little chance of you seeking me out, so I’ve gone and done it myself.”

“You’re going to force me to talk to you?” Haru growled, “Why me? Go pick on someone else.”

“Because I know that, deep down, you understand me just a bit more than everyone else here.” Yukari’s mouth formed her usual smirk once more, but Haru felt it didn’t quite reach the rest of her face, “You see, Mei had something very interesting to say to me earlier. She accurately guessed that I see someone else in you, Haru.”

“And who might that be?” He regretted asking as soon as the words passed his lips. Yukari tapped on his door and, begrudgingly, Haru unlocked it.

“Tsuji Nagakage. My... brother.” She said, quite simply, as she entered. “He is... most likely dead. I wouldn’t know what happened to him.”

“So, you have a family? I would never have guessed.” Haru dryly remarked. “The great Yukari, so enigmatic. So cold and ruthless. So damn uncaring for those around her. Everything is always about you... You don’t have your family anymore, do you?”

She smiled for a moment before, “I do not. I have not had someone to call family in so very long. I am no older than I look, Haru. My life is no longer than you’d imagine. So when I say, so long, I mean most of my life. Just like you, my mother is dead and, because of that, I lost the rest of my family, too. Naturally, being raised like I was changes your way of thinking quite a bit.”

“You’re surprisingly open today.” Haru commented and then sighed, “But it’s too late to make me feel any differently about you.”

“I don’t seek to make you feel differently. I don’t need to do anything for that to happen. I told you, in time you will understand.” Yukari paused again and then looked at Haru with a strange look in her eyes, “If you were to choose between a bare life of poverty with a semblance of a family, like you led, or a lavish life with no hope of love, would you choose the emotion or the riches?”

“The life I led was fine. I can only assume that you’re describing yourself in the other. You’ve proved to us that your heart is ice.” Haru sat on his bed.

“To get someone to think in a way that runs contrary to the world... You really have to mess them up. Poking around in someone’s brain can do that. Or subjecting them to experiments they never wanted to be a part of.” Yukari looked at her palms, red smoke curling around them, “This shelter is so pitiful. Full of murderers, miscreants... Things that never should have been. And most of all... Despair. Despair specifically from loss. How many times must I look at someone and see that same expression? That look in someone’s eye that they don’t realise they have? Before I knew a thing about you, Haru, I could have told you that your mother was absent from your life. Entire histories are laid out to me just by what lies in the mind.”

“What are you crying to me? It sounds like you’re insulting the entirety of this group at once to me.” Haru snarled, “Miscreants, huh?”

“Hm. Worst of all is that air that reeks of death. Not the one that accompanies a murderer, but of someone who truly believes that the world would be a better place without them.” Yukari clenched her fists tightly, “Most mistakes can be forgiven. But there are some stains that will never, ever wash out. How far do I have to push someone before they understand this? Someday, there will be no more guilt. People will finally realise that life isn’t just a game where one mistake is a game over. However... There is one person here who will certainly never be forgiven. Do you know who that is, Haru?”

“I’m seriously tempted to say you, Yukari, but I know the answer you’re looking for is the mastermind.” Haru sighed, “I still don’t think you’re the mastermind and I believe that everyone who needs to work together to stop this but... Why? Why can’t you give me an explanation for what you did?”

“For killing Nori and Ami?” Yukari lifted two fingers and plucked a photograph from the air. By this point, Haru didn’t even flinch, “I said that in time, you would understand, but I suppose I can give you a bit of a lead. This shelter is the mastermind’s playground. Whatever they want to do can be done. You all have posed the possibility of the mastermind having the same abilities as me and I suppose there is no better time to confirm that than now. The chambers in the Observation Room were impenetrable for me, but the mastermind could still manipulate it. This time, I do not believe that to be the same case. I will stop this next motive. Time is the one resource the mastermind refuses to give us and so I will create it.”

“I’m even more confused. Are you trying to help us or not? Because killing people is really, really not helping.” Haru muttered before Yukari thrust the photo in his hand. He looked at it to see a pink-haired girl, smiling. “Who’s this?”

“It is someone whose memory should not be forgotten. Her name is Suwiko Kanade. I’m sure if you looked hard enough, you could find out who she is.” Yukari shut her eyes.

“Su... Suiko? Haru blinked and then flipped the photograph where the name was written, “No, Suwiko. Is this your lead or your babble about the motive?”

“This is someone whose memory should not be forgotten. Repeating myself is so dull, Haru.” Yukari sighed, “Look her up in the File Room. After all, she is dead. Now, there is nothing more for me to say.”

And, as she said it, she exited the room, leaving Haru in a stunned silence. What else could he do but stare?

\---  
A soft roaring noise made Kouki shuffle uncomfortably in her bed. As she was jostled out of sleep, she realised that it wasn't soft at all. "What the heck?" She sat up and felt her hair whip around her head and immediately jumped up. Her room, multicolored and full of art supplies, was being tormented by... wind?  
Her eyes widened as a jar of paint smashed on the wall behind her and she gulped, backing up to the door. "What's... What's going on?"

She heard an electronic beep and pulled out her Monopad. An image of Monokuma danced across the screen and she had to pull it close to her ear to hear what he was saying, "As you have no doubt noticed by now, the motive has begun! Puhuhuhu! I wonder how you'll combat this one? No one can last long in such severe conditions..."

The screen flickered off and Kouki looked back up, peeling a paper from her arm that had landed there amongst the wind. Was this the motive? A literal indoor storm?

\---

Of course, he hadn't been sleeping. Though he often passed out, Shohei rarely slept of his own accord. This meant he had to be careful since sleeping outside of the dorms was prohibited. Why hadn't he been executed for falling asleep at the trial ground? Shohei could only wonder, but he had a feeling it had to do with involuntarily passing out than actually going to sleep.

He was sitting next to the large tree in the Arboretum. Looking up at the false sky, dawn peeking over the wall, he sighed. All he wanted was to feel the real world again. To be free. His eyes narrowed as he caught a cloud, dark and angry. Another one joined it and he stood up. Was it going to rain? He hadn't realised that it could just... rain. Not without input from the Data Room.

Just as that thought crossed his mind, he heard a loud boom and a cracked and his heart lurched. Lightning. That had been lightning. Panicked, he quickly glanced between the sky and the way to the elevator and took off running. A good half-minute later, he heard another boom of thunder and a roaring flame to his left. He paused for just a moment as a sprinkler began to put the flame out. This was real. This was really lightning. The smell of electricity burned his nostrils and he continued on, through the door, into the small room connecting the Arboretum and the elevator.

It was a tiny room, so Shohei wasn't prepared for the deafening noise. Another crash of thunder and a strike of lightning, just shy of him. His body tingled from the electricity and he brought a hand to his mouth, looking up. How... How had that happened? He wasn't in the Arboretum any more. There was no sky. This was a sealed room.

_Ding!_

His attention was quickly brought to the elevator and, slowly, the electrical feeling began to fade. Biting his thumb in anticipation, Shohei watched the door open to show someone he really did not want to see.

"Oh, well. I figured I'd find someone here, what with all the loud banging. Who to expect other than Shohei, I suppose, yes?" Yukari smiled as she exited the elevator and Shohei couldn't bring himself to respond, "Is something the matter, love? You look shaken and I don't imagine it's because of me this time."

"L-Lightning..." He muttered. His heart was racing and he felt as though he could pass out at any time. He backed away from Yukari and his hand hit the button to open the door to the Arboretum again. He repeated through heavy breaths, "Lightning..."

"Lightning?" Yukari tilted her head. She looked genuinely confused, something that made Shohei worry even more. If even Yukari didn't know what it meant... He backed up through the doorframe and Yukari followed. She turned her head toward the tree that was now smoking and looked up at the sky. To Shohei's surprise, it was clear. "I have no doubt that you are trying your best, love. However... I do not understand what you mean."

"The sky went dark and there was lightning. I th-though it was just the Arboretum but... There was a l-lightning strike in that room just before you came in." Shohei dropped to his knees and Yukari looked at him for a moment.

"You're right. There's something here that wasn't here before." She concluded and, with leaps that defied gravity, she hopped from branch to branch until she stood on the tip of the tree that had been struck, "So that's it. I understand now. The effect I had to cancel... That was the motive Monokuma had been talking about."

"Cancel?" Shohei looked up wearily. "What do you mean, cancel?"

"Monokuma told me that he enjoyed watching us try to avoid his game, yes? I was merely giving him what he asked for. Well, I thought that it was too easy, but now I understand." Yukari leapt back down and offered a hand to Shohei, "It's not just lightning, Shohei. It's far worse than that. The weather is all in disarray and each student here carries a different one."

He looked at her hand and, ignoring it, stood up, "How do I know th-this isn't your doing? You d-did kill Nori and Ami, after all."

"Oh, are you guys still on about that?" She frowned, her lips pursed, "At this very moment, I am suppressing this lightning you were experiencing. Did you not hear on your Monopad?"

"My Monopad?" He pulled it out and as soon as he tapped it, the same message that Kouki had seen began to play, "W-What... Fucking damn it. We just can't have a b-break!"

"I suggest that you stick with me, Shohei. I wouldn't want to find out who the Blackened is if you were to have a heart attack." Yukari smirked which only led to another frown from the barista.

"I guess this is what Kanna m-meant, huh? Someday all those drinks w-will do something to my heart. I didn't expect it to be so physical, th-though." His expression lightened into a smirk of his own before it darkened again, "I can't t-trust you, Yukari. You know that."

"Would you rather go back to the thunder and lightning?" She tilted her head, "What happens if students were to meet under these conditions? What would happen if your thunderstorm was paired with something else?"

"Damn it..." He muttered under his breath, "Yeah, I see your point but... How is something like this even p-possible? It can't be magic. I still refuse to believe that."

"Just as Nori said, yes? I'm not ready to divulge any secrets, Shohei. But this certainly isn't magic." Yukari looked back up at the sky, "I wonder... What weather would I cause if I were not the equaliser here?"

Shohei bit his lip and also looked up, half expecting the sky to darken once more. "So... As long as we're with you, the motive won't work?"

"Yes, something like that. I do wish I could cover more ground, though..." The psychoanalyst looked down, thoughtfully. "I wonder... If I stood in the hallway, could I make the radius encompass all sixteen rooms? Why don't we find out? Come, love. See me to your room."

\---

"What the fuck... What the fuck!? I hate this." Marise pounded her fist on the table. She was sitting in the Meeting Room, a diffused sunlight enveloping the room. The heat was unbearable and she growled. Who had rain? Who could she find that would counteract this drought? The light was bad enough, but the heat...

She heard the door open and, at once, the room began to flood with a thick fog, "I anticipated a motive precarious yet, though I find this environment quite propitious. Under this shroud of unknowable bliss, I could perform whatever maneuvers I see of fit and unknowable, yes. Who would be privy to the erudition of my exploits?" Marise rolled her eyes at the voice but then seemed to remember the danger she would soon be in. Where was she? Marise frantically looked around. Where was Setsuka?

"Master doesn't blame you, you know?" Marise swallowed her surprise as Niseko's voice came from just behind her. She turned her head to see the silhouette of the doll amidst the fog, "She knows what you did. What you have. But why would she care?"

"Kukuku..." Marise felt breath on the side of her face, though with the heat from the drought, it almost felt cool. "Marise... Miss Marise... That photograph... Do you know what the preservation in paper means? I would very much take in no reservations of the elucidation of your mind and the image."

"I can already guess." She hissed, turning to Setsuka, "You did it, didn't you? That absolute carnage and destruction. It was you. I don't know who the woman is, but whoever she is, you killed her and in such a brutal way."

"She laid waste to my mentality. Brought ruin to my brain with each and every passing cycle of light. Come the forenoon, she plotted. At evenfall, she began. And the morrow she assembled her coming malevolence. Fuyuizumi... A neuroscientist as you'd call her. Renako Fuyuizumi. A despicable woman... The moment she leered upon my kind, she was forsaken. Merely a phantasm of torment..." Setsuka's voice made Marise's neck prickle as she confirmed what the novelist had thought, "Master criminals... But you are no deviation from the clockwork of the mastermind's particularity. I know, Miss Marise... I know that you've suffered in likeness to I. Perhaps not neuroscientifically, but you will never return to the sinless, pristine life you hoped to lead."

"Speak like a normal human. Who the hell was Renako? Your mother?" Marise grit her teeth. She, naturally, didn't expect answers from Setsuka, but she'd make her expectation clear at least.

"Kukuku... Fuyuizumi... She is a spectre of my past." Setsuka brought her hands together, just as Niseko had many, many times, and began to cackle, "Kukukuku! Renako Fuyuizumi, my kin? You asseverate such uproarious proclamations. You may keep that treasure... I have no desire for the hallowed trinket."

"...Thanks." Marise glared, something unseen in the fog.

"Man, it's really hot in here. I guess it fits someone as fiery as you, Marise!" Niseko exclaimed, climbing down from the table and crawling into Setsuka's arms. "But Setsuka and I are trying to learn all of the different weathers we're dealing with, so we've gotta go."

With that, Setsuka left with a 'Kukukuu...' and the fog slowly receded along with her.

\---

"Perhaps I need to find some goggles in the Laboratory," Amari muttered and then spat sand from her mouth. The tiny flecks stung her arms, but she held herself in a firm position at the head of one of the Dining Room tables. "At least you have something manageable."

"Yes, manageable..." Kanna frowned. Clouds that were not befitting of a sandstorm floated around lazily. He couldn't help but brush at one, "But these clouds are so far from perfection that I feel as though I might go crazy staring at them forever."

"This motive... It's not going to last." Amari hung her head, "This is too much. We can't power through it like the last one." The sand whipped around and Kanna shielded himself with his cape.

"Unfortunately, that thought also crossed my mind. Don't you wonder, though? How were these conditions picked? Clouds must affect me more than you. But it's a psychological thing," Kanna noted. He brought himself closer to Amari and wrapped his cape around her bare skin, "But a sandstorm will affect you much more than me."

Grateful for Kanna's shelter, Amari smiled slightly, "We know Monokuma by now. They're chosen very particularly, I imagine, to perfectly mess with us. I suppose I'll need to find a better outfit to deal with this, won't I?"

"You? In something besides this outfit? Why, I never thought I'd see the day, Amari." Kanna laughed, "Yet, you'll never see me in something so... revealing."

"I'd expect not. After all, you keep yourself so pristine, don't you, perfect boy?" Amari playfully poked him in the shoulder. She then hesitated, however, "I missed just being able to talk like this."

"I did too, Amari. I never thought I'd see myself in a situation like this... With you, no less." Kanna looked down, feeling the awkward tension he had felt so many times before, "Perhaps it's better this way. But then, that's up to you, isn't it?"

"Teenagers are incredibly stupid. I don't know what I was thinking," Amari sighed, smiling slightly. After a moment of silence, she shook her head as if nothing had happened, "I think we could lessen the effects of these weather conditions. Or at least... I hope. It comes down to if someone has something unbearable or not. I highly doubt we've been hit equally."

Something wet hit Kanna's head and he looked back to see Keroko crouching not too far away, "Oh dear... Now the sand is going to be mud."

"Rain for the frog. I'm not surprised." Amari curiously held out her hand to catch some of the rain, "But don't frogs like the rain? What do you think of this, Keroko?"

"Kero... Kero." She nodded, looking up, but then pulled at her soggy shirt. She personally loved the rain, but her wet clothes were uncomfortable and her waterlogged hair would soon droop and become heavy. Her neck wasn't very strong, after all. Keroko, like a frog, was prone to problems if her skin ever completely dried out, so the rain was welcome. But she still had to deal with the same problems a normal human would in the rain. Too much and she might even catch a cold.

Amari easily picked up on her clothing and nodded slowly, "Even so, it shouldn't be too hard to find shelter from it. Like the underside of this table."

Keroko nodded and crawled underneath. She sighed once there, however. She didn't want to have to hide away forever. "Ro...."

"I haven't seen any umbrellas, unfortunately," Kanna rubbed his now wet hair. "But we could probably fashion one out of something. I know a thing or two about sewing at least."

"This is hard, but I think we can do something about it," Amari concluded. "Nothing is impossible, after all."

"What if someone really has gotten something... unbearable, as you say?" Kanna frowned, looking up at Amari, "I'm a bit worried because this motive seems so much more... drastic than the others. If this never stops, getting sleep will prove difficult. I am very particular about my sleep."

"Yes, I am aware of your perfectionist attitude," Amari sighed, rubbing a finger on her pendant and narrowing her eyes.

"Hey, now." Kanna grit his teeth, "I ask that you do not start this up again. It will only end up poorly and we are in the company of another."

"Sorry, I wasn't thinking. But you really are worrying way too much. Yes, this is the most troublesome motive yet, but putting too much stress on yourself, Kanna... You know the consequences of that all too well, don't you?" Amari gaze softened and she glanced down at Keroko.

"All this time and you're still worried?" Kanna folded his arms, "Right. Well, how shall we get Keroko an umbrella?"

"Kero." Keroko nodded from under the table, a strange content expression on her face.

\---  
As Shigeru walked through the Office Room, wondering if the snow around him would damage the computer's hardware, he paused, hearing strange shattering like noises. He shivered, pulling his collar closer to his neck and entered to next room to see a very strange sight. Mei spun around, a black, red, and white blur, and fragments of ice landing on the ground. "Mei? What are you doing?"  
She stopped for a moment before a chunk of hail fell on her head and she resumed the strange action of cutting the hail from the air. "I am training."

"Training." Shigeru repeated. "Training, training. Leave it to you to turn the motive into an opportunity like that. I wanted to know how you are holding up... You know, after what happened with Ami."

"I am sad. I want Yumekuu back. But people don't come back. I know because I have ended many lives and none of them have come back." Then she stopped again, holding her katana over her head to block most of the hail. "It is snowing now, too."

"Yes, yes. That would be what I am dealing with. Such glittering snow and no hint of a cloud. This is what one would call diamond dust." Shigeru breathed a white puff of an exhale. "Gorgeous, but it sure is cold."

"Diamond dust. I have never heard that term before. What is a diamond?" Mei held the katana firm despite the force of the hail.

"It is a gemstone. A pretty, clear rock that is worth quite an amount." Shigeru explained. "Ah, but there are no real diamonds in diamond dust. It's a description for the snow."

"I see. I had heard the term in some job descriptions, but I rarely know the reasons why people give me their requests." Mei nodded slowly, "Fujioka. Why are you talking to me and not Yukimura?"

"Well, I was planning on doing that, but I wasn't sure whether invading Yamato's space is really what he needs now." Shigeru explained, "You seem to be doing alright, though."

"Yumekuu did not have a blade." Mei started and then reached into her pocket to pull out a very familiar, by now, silver item, "But she left this. So I will use this for her."

"For her?" Shigeru frowned, looking at the pocket watch.

"Yes. This is Ami now." Mei stared at it and Shigeru couldn't help but notice her usage of Ami's first name. "Just as this is Takeo and someday, this will be me. It is alright if you do not understand, Fujioka. People rarely do."

When Shigeru didn't say anything, she sheathed her katana while simultaneously going back to cutting the hail. Then she darted past Shigeru through the doorway, "Come, Fujioka. We shall visit Yukimura together."

Scrambling to catch up, Shigeru hugged himself to stave off the cold, "Is bringing this adverse weather to him really a good idea?"

Mei stopped at the elevator, "It will be okay. Yukimura is affected by snow. I know this because his name means snow village. I would think the mastermind a fool to not give Yukimura snow."

"But... I have snow. Can two people have the same weather?" Shigeru asked as the elevator opened.

"Yukimura is angry. You have calm... diamond dust. Yukimura will have an angry blizzard." Mei hesitantly stepped into the elevator and, unable to swing in such an enclosed area, she pulled up her hood, casting a shadow on her face that her intense red eyes pierced through. Shigeru stepped back a bit, startled by the sudden shift and Mei looked him up and down, "Why do you retreat?"

"Excuse me, excuse me. I merely forgot that you have a hood." Shigeru smiled sheepishly before a hailstone struck him on the nose, "Ow."

"But ninjas have hoods," Mei looked away, confused. She pondered Shigeru's confusion wondering if she, instead, was the one wrong regarding the subject. She looked back, concerned now for Shigeru's head as it was pelted with hail. "This is dangerous."

"Yeah, yeah. I've figured that bit out." He winced. "Hanging around you might give me brain damage if I don't get frostbite first."

Mei stared at him with wide eyes and pulled down her hood further as the elevator slowed to a stop and the doors opened.

"Oh dear, I'm starting to sound like Shohei. It was just a joke, Mei." He exited and Mei followed him. Amari, Kanna, and Keroko were still in the Dining Hall, Keroko still under a table, but Mei shot past them, through the sand and rain and bursting out of the clouds while Shigeru awkwardly did his best to not slip on the wet ground, "Mei, please wait up."

Amari raised an eyebrow as they passed, but said nothing. The two entered the Blue Hallway and Mei stood in front of Yamato's door. The crest of Rinrin Roar Academy, Yamato's former school, looked like the hat Yamato sometimes wore, curving down. There were also simple 'x's that were probably meant to be stars, but Mei merely saw them for what they were. She raised a hand and knocked lightly.

The door opened and Mei was greeted by a faceful of snow, not that she didn't expect it. Yamato appeared from the white-painted room with a very tired face, "Ah... Miss lady. I was waiting for an excuse to leave- Ow, what the hell?" He glared as the hail hit his head, "Ugh. One moment, if you will."

He disappeared back into his room and came back out, this time with his hat on. "Yamato, we just wanted to check on you. I haven't seen you in a while," Shigeru shivered. He wondered just whose weather was colder, his or Yamato's. "I apologise for bringing all of... this... to you."

"Doesn't make a difference one way or the other. For what it's worth, this snow means nothing at all to me. Nothing could make me colder than I already am." Yamato turned his head to the side, "But after what you all have been saying, I'm torn. Who do I blame? Do I leave my anger with Ami or do I turn this hatred to Yukari?"

"Nagakage was responsible." Mei immediately answered, but she lowered her head, "However, there is no use in being angry anymore. What is past is past and holding on to that anger will kill you."

"Kill me? That's quite dramatic." Yamato then tapped her on the head, "Your hair is sticking up, you know."

"What!?" Her voice was sharp and her arms flailed around her head as she tried to push down her hair, "When did this happen? Was it you, Yukimura? Was it your angry blizzard?"

"Er... I don't know." He frowned and then sighed, "So all you guys wanted was to know how I felt after Nori, huh? I suppose I can't fault you for that intent. It doesn't matter, though."

"Are you going to say that you can't feel better after that? That the wounds won't heal?" Shigeru crossed his arms, "Because that's how I felt with Riku and, I know, you've known Nori for a while longer than I knew Riku, but... I know this feeling."

"You can get better, Yukimura." Mei looked up at him, "My family is all gone, except grandfather. It's a great pain to think about, but I am better off knowing that my family would want me to continue on instead of grieving. Besides, I need to find Keizou."

"Continue instead of grieving." Yamato looked back into his room, "Well, it only gets cold in my room now, so I guess there's no point in staying there. I can--"

He was cut off by the sound of a door and the soft patter of rain. Yamato tilted his hat down as light flooded the area and he turned to see Haru emerging from his room. The rain closer to the small group was freezing before it hit the ground and, instinctively, Yamato backed up. More hail was the last thing he wanted.

Mei also looked toward Haru muttering, "Sun... Rain... Kitsune rain!?" She suddenly charged at Haru who yelped as she jumped him, "Kitsune rain!? Tanioto... Are you a nogitsune!?"

"What the-- Mei, stop! Stop, get off of me. Agh! You've got hail. Stop!" Haru frantically waved his arms in an attempt to get Mei off.

She backflipped off and folded her arms, glaring, "Tanioto the nogitsune. I should have known."

"Now's not the time for... what did you call it way back? Nogitsunephobia?" Haru shook his head, "Ugh, this is ridiculous. I was worried my room would flood and this rain is terrible for my cello. Eventually, it would seep through the case..."

"There was rain in the Dining Hall as we passed, wasn't there? It might have been Keroko." Shigeru scratched his head, "Hail, diamond dust, blizzard, rain, sandstorm, clouds or something, and now kitsune rain. What on earth would happen if we got everyone in a room together? It would be..."

He trailed off, realising that the snow had settled around him and he slowly turned to see two people standing at the doorway to the larger hallway, "It would be just fine, love. After all, I'm here."

"R-Right. Yukari stops the weather... Somehow..." Shohei muttered beside her.

"Yukari and Shohei? What an odd pairing." Shigeru noted, aware of Yamato's grip on his hoop tightening. "What brings you here?"

"It's not so odd when poor Shohei here is at risk of being struck by lightning all on his own," Yukari said and with complete disregard, turned toward Shohei's door, addressing the barista. "Unfortunately, I don't think I can reach the Red Hallway while I'm here. And when we were out there, I couldn't get the entirety of either hallway. Still, one is better than none, yes?"

"So... Y-You're just going to sit here." Shohei bit his lip, "If no one kills, this might go on forever. You're really just gonna stay here?"

"Well, of course, I'll have to go between the hallways to make it fair, but I'm certainly okay with staying here if it ruins the mastermind's plans." Yukari smirked, "After last time, I am more than happy."

"Last time? When you killed Nori?" Yamato growled. "So you stop the weather or whatever. I think that just makes you suspicious. Maybe if you hadn't screwed us all over, we wouldn't have to deal with this to begin with."

"Yukimura. Anger is no good. If Nagakage ends this, let her end it." Mei said, backing away from Haru, "However. Tanioto is still a nogitsune in disguise regardless and should be dealt with."

"A nogitsune?" Yukari frowned, "Why is... Oh, yes, of course. Haru has the fox's wedding. Quite fitting. Amidst the sunshine is the gloom of rain... Why yes... That's perfect for you, love!"

"Shut up, Yukari." Haru spat and Yukari looked visibly and genuinely wounded, "Mei might be saying this stuff, but no one's really forgiven you. How can we? Without any regret, you killed two of our friends."

"You really cared so much for Nori and Ami? Even after learning about Ami's past? Knowing that Ami viciously murdered innocent people. I know you saw the file on her father, Haru. Perhaps her friend, as well?" Yukari wasn't smiling anymore. She held no whimsey in her tone. "And though you still do not understand, what I did was something I had to do. There were no alternatives. I always consider every possible solution. I look for ways to not get my hands dirty, but this time... This time there was no other way."

"Bullshit." Yamato shot back, "Of course there was. I toughed it out through the motive, you could've, too. It had only been a day and a half before you decided on your no-alternative strategy. Lemme guess. You killed Nori because he annoyed you."

"And you killed Yumekuu because she understood you..?" Mei brought a finger to her lips, "But... This isn't right. Sasaki didn't understand a thing about you. If you enjoy the unknown so much, why did you kill Sasaki?"

"Well, Yamato. What did you think of Nori's locker contents?" Yukari said as she turned back to the door, "I'm sure if you carefully look at it, you might just understand. Shohei, love, can you open the door?"

"Yukari..." He started and then took a breath, "This isn't going to work. You c-can't... This p-plan won't work if you don't start apologising... Or repenting... o-or something at least! No one trusts you."

"Do you trust me, Shohei?" Yukari looked back at him.

Placing his hand on his door's scanner, Shohei gave a very simple answer before disappearing inside, "No."

"Oh my..." Yukari breathed before following him inside.

Haru clenched his fist, "What the hell am I even supposed to think anymore? What does she want? What is she after? She's committed unforgivable sins and yet she's open about her own twisted methods. Even so, she's the only person here that I can't read no matter how hard I look."

"Read?" Mei brought a finger to her lip, "Nagakage is not a book, Tanioto."

"No, but sometimes I wish she were." He growled. The fact that the only thing preventing the motive from outright destroying them was Yukari made him angry but something else was nagging at his mind and he whispered, intending no one to hear him, "What if she did it to... To prove that there is always a worse crime. Could that be what she meant..? Then why the fuck!?"

He had raised his voice for the last sentence and Yamato blinked, "I can't believe I'm the one saying this, but you need to calm down, Haru."

"Hm. Well. Tanioto. I wish for you to know that my words were in jest. I do not believe you to be a nogitsune." Mei bowed and then left for the door, "Farewell."

Shigeru watched the ninja go and then looked back to Haru with pity. Unfortunately for Haru, he had chosen to speak his piece aloud in a room with the two most perceptive students in the building and it had certainly not gone unnoticed.

He looked back at the Herschel door once more before sighing and exiting the hallway. He knew that if what Shohei and Yukari had said was true, the rain would once again begin to fall soon, but he hardly cared. "Wow, you look so depressed I almost mistook you for Kanna."  
"Kanna?" Haru turned to see Marise, leaning against the wall next to the blue door.

"Yeah, the loser's been stuck with 'cloudy'. Doesn't seem all that fair if you ask me. Some of us are battling real severe conditions and perfect boy just has some extra condensation." She stood up straight and narrowed her eyes, "What is your weather anyway, Haru?"

"Sun shower. Which means I can't go back to my room as long as it's there. It'll wreck my instrument and equipment." Haru frowned and continued, "Water's not so good for books either."

"Sure isn't. But see, the books in my room? I don't really care for them. I just write them. There's no heart." Marise made her way to the red door and, as Haru followed, he could see the area brightening, "Oh, yeah. Hope you don't mind the sun. Although, I guess if you've got your sad emo rain, it'll be fine."

"E-Emo rain?" Haru grimaced, "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Oh, please. You're sulking around like that and you expect me to not say it? How dull can you be?" Marise smirked at him before entering the Red Hallway. "There's too much overlap with this motive. Keroko has a rainy condition, too. And Setsuka just has a worse version of Kanna's. That is to say, fog. But you know, it might make it easy to find the killer if a murder happens."

"Why do you say that?" Haru squinted as Marise unlocked the 'And Then Will There Be None?' door.

"Wow, I'm proud of you for not gawking at me and squealing about how there won't be any more murders!" Marise clapped her hands and sat on her bed, "Anyway, the reason is that the conditions affect our surroundings. If we find sand at the crime scene? It means Amari was there. If there's water? You or Keroko. I'm sure at least someone has snow here, too."

"Shigeru and Yamato." Haru answered, "Mei has hail and apparently Shohei has lightning." 

"Oh wow, if something's on fire, I guess Shohei was there." Marise looked genuinely surprised as she said it, "Pah, but of course, if there's water, the sword loser's bound to have done it. The absence of a condition means it's either myself, Setsuka, Kanna, or Yukari. You know, come to think of it... I haven't seen Kouki at all. I wonder what she has..."

Between the sweat from the heat and the rain, Haru had to wipe his forehead from the moisture. He could see Marise doing the same from time to time and, at one point, her shirt sleeve slid down, likely from the added weight of the humidity, and Haru couldn't help but say something, "Marise? Your arm..."

"Huh?" Marise blinked, her eyes suddenly filled with fire. She leapt up and defensively grabbed at her jacket sleeve, pressing it down, "What the fuck are you looking at!? Don't you know it's rude to stare like that?"

"N-No, I wasn't staring, I just..." Haru sighed, "Sorry, sorry. I'll forget it." Even though he said it, he knew he wouldn't be able to. On Marise's forearm had been a scar. He had only been mildly curious but with Marise's reaction, he suddenly felt that it had more sinister implications.

Marise looked traumatised, her breathing heavier than usual. Instead of snapping back at him, she just sat back down. "Don't you dare tell anyone. Don't you dare. It's not what it looks like. I didn't do it to myself."

"Was it... an accident?" Haru hesitated. He got the sense that Marise just really wanted to talk about it but he also knew that she wasn't the type to easily admit her feelings. Not even to herself.

She opened her mouth, a pained expression on her face. "Damn it, Haru. You're some kind of demon and I'm not just talking about your school mascot... You really make me feel like it's okay to just... talk. It's not okay. It's really not. But I also know... I've been living with so much weight... I haven't even told Kotomi the whole truth..."

"The whole truth? Hey, Marise. I swear I won't speak a word of this to anyone. If you need to get something off your chest, do it." Haru looked her dead in the eyes.

"Ha. That bitch Yukari probably already knows..." Marise snorted but then sighed once again as she began to take off her jacket. "It's not something I need to get off my chest, though." 

Haru was silent as she rolled up her black sleeves. It wasn't just one scar, but many. Erratic, criss-crossing... Some were deeper than others, others were barely visible. Finally, he spoke, "It was your parents, then?"

"My mother. They were both terrible people but... My mother was the one who hurt me. I tried to stop it so many times. I would hide the knives in the house or I would not come home after school until I got so hungry it hurt. She knew I would always come crawling back, though." Marise grit her teeth, "The day I finally ran away... Well... I said I didn't need it off my chest. I need it off my back."

She turned and rolled up the bottom of her shirt, just enough so that Haru could see it. A large, ugly scar. Much deeper and more discolored than anything her arms had to offer. Marise dropped her arms, her shoulders shaking, "I got away... I did... But I'll never forget that anger in her eyes. That absolute hatred. That wasn't even a human I saw, but a devil. That day is burned into my mind and I'll never forget it. While I'm on this pity train with you, Haru, let me say something else. At night, before I go to bed, I think about how much I hate myself. You know why, don't you?"

"Your tongue is sharp, Marise. You're not afraid to speak your mind and call people out. And you're quick to insult. Does your instinct remind you of your mother?" Haru felt his heart sink as he said it.

"That's right. But I know better than to think that I can change my attitude. A person's personality is what they're stuck with for the rest of their lives. Just like how you'll always just be an emo boy at heart." Marise weakly laughed at her own joke. "You're the first person to see my scar. In fact, I barely see it myself because, well, two reasons. One, it's hard to see your own back and, two, I just can't bring myself to. This heat is unbearable because I wear so much to hide my scars. Even to bed, I don't ever wear short sleeves."

A thought crossed Haru's mind as he recalled something that Yukari had said before, "Marise, you don't have to answer this, but... You said you escaped from your mother... Is your father... Is he...?"

"Dead." She admitted, "The day I left, I saw his corpse. That's the real reason I'll never forget that day. The bitch devil killed him in her fury. I could've done something. I could have reported it. But I was too scared. And that's what I couldn't tell Kotomi. She still doesn't know that father is dead."

A lump formed in Haru's throat. He finally understood one of the many riddles that Yukari had given him and he thought back to that day they'd met. Ami had talked of intuition linking the sixteen of them but... It seemed that another was the absence of a parent... His mother, Ami's father, Marise's father, both of Mei's parents, and Yukari's mother... The same had to be true of every single person there and, in his realisation, Haru let out a very shaky breath as his head rushed with dizziness and he stumbled.

"H-Haru!?" Marise cried out and leapt up to steady him, "What the hell, loser? Don't scare me like that!"

"I'm sorry, I didn't..." Haru steadied himself with Marise's help and he swallowed, his mouth dry.

"Tch. Boys like you are all the same, huh?" Marise stuck out her tongue and began to lift her shirt. Haru squeaked in response, but she merely laughed, "Relax. I have on an undershirt. I figure if you already know, I might as well let the sun touch my arms for the first time in years. The rain feels nice, Haru."

Marise pulled out her hair ties and stared at the ceiling, her wet hair clinging to her tiny form. "Ugh, I can't believe I opened up like this. You demon loser, full of temptation. As long as you're not a devil, I guess I can bear with it, though."

After a while, Haru left Marise. She had been right about Kouki. He hadn't seen her since the motive had started. He scanned the doors until she found hers. The crest of the Great Thunder Art Academy was what she wore on her school uniform and what was there on the door. He knocked, bracing himself for whatever weather was to come.

It took a while, but eventually, the door opened and, as it did, a rush of air knocked him backward. Before he fell, he felt a grip tighten on his arm, "Oh no, are you okay, Haru!?" Kouki's voice brought him back to his senses and he adjusted his shirt amongst the wind, "Come in... I've made a sorta shelter... Of sorts."

As she said it, however, the wind died down and Haru glanced to the side to see two figures. Yukari and Shohei, of course. Gritting his teeth, he entered Kouki's room. "Your room... It's a mess. I suppose that's to be expected, though, huh?"

"Yeah... The wind is really doing a number on it. I haven't left because I'm worried I'll wreck the rest of the building, but I'm gonna get hungry sooner or later." She flopped onto her bed and Haru noticed a stack of easels laying against it, "Yeah, I'll have to fix it later. This is my, er, my fort."

"Your... fort. I guess whatever works for you." Haru took in the rest of the room. There were art supplies of all types lining the walls. He recognised brushes and sculpting supplies and other things he couldn't name. There were large tables and even more easels laying around. The floor was absolutely littered with paper and canvases, as well as more tools.

"Yeah. And when it gets quiet like this, I can calm down by-- Oh no." Kouki's eyes widened as she looked into a drawer in her bedside table. She leapt up and began to go through drawers, "I'm all out of paint! Aw... I'm gonna have to go to the Supply Room... And that means going downstairs..."

"You've been painting to calm down... But something's troubling you, isn't it?" Haru sat down as Kouki sadly sat back down, picking at a blue paint stain under her sleeve, "What's wrong, Kouki?"

"I've just been thinking about my sister. She was in my class at Hope's Peak Academy and... Well, so were Ami, Shohei, and Rikuto... But... I don't know. I miss my sister." Kouki hung her head, "I have no idea where she is, but she must be worried about me... Did you know that Shohei has a brother?"

"A brother? No, he never told me." Haru shook his head, "Was he also in the class?"

"Oh no. He was four years older than my sister. But they were in a relationship. That's why... When I see Shohei, I can't help but think of them." Kouki closed her eyes, "Shohei's brother wasn't an Ultimate, but he became... involved with the police and that's how he met my sister."

"Involved, huh?" Haru looked off to the side, "When I was in middle school... I considered doing terrible things. I would always see people... I'd see their pain. And at one point, I'd had enough. I wanted to get rid of it all. Instead of acting on that impulse, though, I just shut myself away."

"Haru..." Kouki held out a hand and he hesitantly grabbed it. "Your ability to read people's emotions is... I've never seen anyone as empathetic as you before. It's astonishing and, yet, with all of the hurt in the world, I can only imagine the burden. Plus, your own situation."

"School was hard. I was good at math and science but... No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't write. Nothing came up. My head was empty." Haru sighed heavily, "I wish everything was music. I wish we spoke with music and not words."

"It'd be easier for you, huh?" Kouki looked at him with her large brown eyes, "Because I'm trapped here, I have no idea what's happening. I'm worried about my sister. She's capable but... Does she miss me?"

"Of course she does. I worry about that with my father. Ever since my mother passed away, he's been having trouble having the motivation to do anything and... I understand that feeling all too well. I don't want to get out of here and find my father in a terrible situation... or worse. How long have we been here?" Haru grit his teeth, "How long? I've lost track of the days."

"There are only a few people who bother to keep track. Kanna and Yukari I'd imagine, but..." Kouki frowned, a pained expression on her face.

"No, I know. You were going to say Ami, right? I thought the same thing. I visited her room with Amari and... Yukari gave me a photograph. On it was a girl named Suwiko. She told me to go to the File Room, so... I did, but..." Haru paused, "Suwiko was the name of Ami's friend. The friend she killed as the Night Terror. I understand what Yukari meant."

"What she meant? Did she say something?" Kouki's voice was quiet and timid.

"She said that it was someone whose memory should never be forgotten." Haru recounted, "And when Ami was telling me about Suwiko, she told me that all she had left of her was her memory. I don't get it. Yukari was telling me to keep Suwiko alive for Ami, but why? Why would Yukari care about something like that?"

"You shouldn't listen to her, but still..." Kouki bit her lip, "I also think you should honor Suwiko for Ami."

"Suwiko Kanade... Ami Yumekuu... Hm. I've heard so many names... I'm good at getting out people's stories, I suppose." Haru suddenly looked down, "It's too much pressure. I'm not the right person for this. People shouldn't come to me with their baggage. I can't do anything about it. I'm just a cellist."

"No, Haru, you're wrong. People come to you because just being you is enough. You don't need to 'help'. Not in the way you're thinking. Sometimes, people just need someone else there. Someone who knows what you're thinking." Kouki frowned, "I understand what it's like to have your spirit broken. Every time I see a body here, I feel as though a part of me has died. I worry so often that, one day, there will be nothing left in me. I'll just be an empty girl without a care in the world. But you, Haru, you fill me with energy to not just keep going, but to help others."

"Is that... Is that really true?" Haru's eyes were wide. He didn't expect that."

"Yeah. Without you, I'd be a completely different person. I'd hate this world. Because all it ever does is take. But I have to ignore that. I have to carve my own path. If I have to scream to be heard, so be it." Kouki's expression was a mix of determination and anger. "You know, don't you? Everyone carries some hurt with them. I'm willing to bet that everyone here has terrible stories they could tell. A man who spent his life hidden behind a mask. A man who shut himself away from the world. A boy who was full of so much fear. A girl who hid a dark, murderous side. What's next? Who's next?"

"Who's next?" Haru looked at her darkened expression, "Kouki... I-I... You're the last person I expected this from."

"I'm... I'm losing myself, Haru. When I saw Nori's body, I realised something. The mastermind doesn't care. They don't care about who they hurt. Vulnerability means nothing. Potential means nothing. Nothing means anything to someone so twisted." Kouki fell back into her bed, "So my drive is to fight it. I will fight and keep my fire alight."

Haru looked at her for a moment. Because of her outward positivity, he'd missed it. He'd missed the pleas for help in Kouki's heart.

\---  
Amari rubbed her head, brushing the sand out of it, "Are you really okay?" She glanced down at Yamato, who stood in the front of the door, looking out into the Arboretum. "You don't need to pretend anymore. We know how much you've had to go through."

"I'm not. But I won’t get better moping around, either. I've been thinking about Nori. I... never exactly said what was in his locker,” Yamato scratched the back of his head. He wasn’t wearing his hat. After all, he didn’t have to deal with Mei’s hail. “It was a big thick stack of paper, bound with rings. I remember seeing him work on it from time to time. It was all of the ideas he got about making the world a better place.”

“Is that so?” Amari tilted her head, brushing her shoulder. The sand especially stung since she was quite cold due to Yamato’s blizzard condition and it crossed her mind that perhaps she should have done what she joked with Kanna about and found a jacket or something.

“It’s back in his locker. I didn’t want it to get ruined from all of the crap in the air.” Yamato then shook his head like a dog, sending wet sand everywhere and began to walk, “Ugh, this is miserable! Anyway, I brought you here because I heard that you, Kanna, and Shigeru investigated here. I figured I’d get your input because, honestly, I don’t trust a perfectionist and an airhead to investigate much of anything.”

“Well, Shigeru is quite adept, but I will agree with you on Kanna. It is possible that we missed something.” Amari nodded her head. “If I’m overstepping my boundaries, please say so. Otherwise, what changed? What brought you out of your room?”

“Mei and Shigeru. Talking to me about their woes and worries,” Yamato snorted, “Honestly though, I realised that they both had lost someone important and I’d be, to put it lightly, an asshole if I complained just because I went to school with Nori. Mei was practically begging me to move on, in her weird way.”

“I worry about that far too much. I serve as a foundation in this group but...” Amari winced, “What would happen if I lost...”

“If you lost..? Is there something you’ve been hiding, Amari? You know I love secrets.” Yamato smirked and Amari glanced into his violet eyes for a moment. Yamato’s lightheartedness, suddenly... Well, it seemed to her like the ringmaster could still put on an act if he needed. “Come on then, spill it. Who is it?”

“Ah, Kanna...” She bit the inside of her cheek, “I told myself I’d stop caring but... I never did. And I woke up here and saw Kanna and... Then Monokuma explained the death game and... Well, I’m sure you felt the same way with Nori.”

“I see. Kanna, hm? With how you’re talking... Nope, I just can’t see you two together! But you know, I guess you’re both pretty rational minded... I suppose.” Yamato had made it to the large tree. A trail of white dusted the area behind him from the constant snow, “I’m not the right one to give you advice, though, Amari. Never have been and now, I’m just proving that I’m not good at handling things myself. I needed a braindead ninja to help me see the light.”

“Braindead? That’s a bit far, isn’t it?” Amari tilted her head but when Yamato only gave her a sly smile, her face softened and she shook her head, “Alright, alright. So then... The Arboretum. Shigeru tried to cover the most ground, Kanna went for individual trees, and I tried to keep a balance, going for suspicious areas. We found nothing, though.”

“Alright then.” Yamato unbuttoned his cape and handed it to Amari and then did the same with his vest before swinging himself up onto a tree branch, “Let’s see what we find, then.”

Amari stared up in shock as Yamato began to scale up the tree. At one point, he glanced down at her, but there was no fear or hesitation in his eyes. Was this a hidden talent of Yamato’s..?

Eventually, he reached as high as he could go, which was above the canopy. Yamato took in the Arboretum as a whole. Though the blizzard limited his vision, he could still see most of it. The walls only went up so high and beyond was an extension of the sky above. Of course, it wasn’t real. Keroko had come to the same conclusion when she’d been up there. He looked down at the different doors. So he’d heard, the Data Room, the Observatory, and the Shed. After a few minutes, he made his descent.

Amari watched as he moved quickly. When Yamato touched the ground again, Amari handed him back his clothing. As he put them back on, he spoke, “I think we should mess around with the Data Room. Also, the Observatory. I was told by Haru that he and Kouki didn’t really investigate it because of Setsuka and, well, being honest, I don’t trust that nutjob’s word.”

“Very well. Let’s go then. The Data Room first?” Amari motioned toward the north.

“Sure. I don’t have a preference as long as it all gets done,” Yamato answered and then set off.

Once they were inside, Yamato scanned the control panel, his eyes squinted behind his glasses, “So many buttons and yet, this one has a backlight and the rest do not.” He hit the button and a picture of the Arboretum flickered to life. More buttons now slightly glowed and he hit another one. Strings of numbers that would only mean something to a scientist filled the screen. “Alright, but Amari. Look at this.”

Amari craned her neck to see what Yamato meant. He was pointing to buttons that said ‘TEMP’, ‘HUM’, and ‘WS’. “Do you suppose that affects the conditions of the Arboretum?”

“Certainly. But how do we get them to light up?” He made his way around the control panel, looking for anything that could be a hint. It caught his eye almost immediately. Wires that were disconnected, “Bingo. This is just like working on lights.”

He worked a bit with them but shook his head, “I’ll need electrical tape. I’m sure there’s some in the Supply Room, but for now... Let’s leave it be. We know it’s here and we can come back later.” 

“To the Observatory, then?” Amari cocked her head in the direction of the Observatory and Yamato nodded.

\---

“What’s th-that?” Shohei muttered as Yukari tilted a martini glass filled with deep red liquid. To him, it looked suspiciously like alcohol, though he supposed he wouldn’t be surprised if Yukari partook in underage drinking.

“A palette cleanser. I just need--” Yukari’s speech was cut off by a mighty yawn and she rubbed her watering eyes, “I just needed something in between, that’s all, love. As for what exactly... I don’t know. I haven’t really given it a name. It’s just something I like.”

“Are you tired?” Shohei frowned. He was in the middle of brewing as he had been each time they’d gone to his room, “You have b-been sleeping, right?”

“Well, yes. Once everyone else is asleep, then I can rest, too. But I must admit, I am feeling a bit fatigued.” Yukari blinked and rubbed her head, “I didn’t expect this to be so... so much work.”

“Here, I’ll make this n-next one to h-help with that.” Shohei nodded, scanning through his supply of herbs and the like, “A-Although, I’m a bit confused. What’s m-making you tired? Suppressing the motive?”

“Yes, that’s right. I’m not used to so much in such an extended period of time. Even I have a limit, you know.” Yukari genuinely looked distressed, Shohei realised and he paused. At first, he’d thought that Yukari was stopping the motive out of a sense of satisfaction against the mastermind but now... 

“Well, g-give me just another moment. I’ll get this done as q-quickly as I can.” Shohei smiled softly and brought his full attention back to his station. There was no denying what Yukari had done, but something about her now made him rethink his opinions. Perhaps it was him being manipulated by her, a psychoanalyst, but at this point, he didn’t care. Shohei was tired of suspecting everyone anymore than he already did and it wasn’t like Yukari had been rude once during the time period of the motive. In fact, she had hardly even been condescending. It was strange, but she was hardly acting like the Yukari he’d come to know. Once finished, he poured the new brew into two cups and returned to the table.

“Ah.” Yukari let out a soft noise as he arrived and slowly dipped her finger into the liquid with a hiss. Shohei had learned by now that she was cooling the beverage that way, just as she had with the last motive. “I don’t know how you deal with this on a daily basis, love. I cannot imagine being constantly alert and simultaneously fatigued.”

“You... Y-You don’t know?” Shohei frowned, staring at his cup, “Wh-What do you mean you don’t know? I mean, people l-like to say that I’m a chicken dressed up as a barista and wrapped in an e-enigma but... You don’t know?”

“By people, I think you mean you.” Yukari smirked, but her smile faded and she took a sip of the drink Shohei had brought, “But I’m being genuine. After all of this, I’m wondering how much longer I can last. People are relying on me and, this time, it’s not because I hold some secret that no one knows. It’s because I’m... protecting people. Blatantly.”

“D-Don’t tell me you’re having an identity crisis. Can’t you l-leave that to the people who aren’t almighty powerful beings?” Shohei chuckled and then shook his head, “I suppose you’re just human, too. I don’t know h-how you’re doing this, but... L-Like Nori kept saying, magic isn’t real. S-So there’s something you’re a-actively doing and doing something for s-so long wears people out.”

“It’s interesting that you’re using Nori’s deductions here, in front of me, yes?” Yukari tilted her head before exhaling and then downing the drink in one gulp. With a heavy sigh, she looked up at the ceiling, “I’m not defeated yet. It’s almost time to go back to the Red Hallway.”

“I-I’m still a bit curious about... Whatever that is.” Shohei pointed at the red drink, “Can I... Can I t-taste it?”

She blinked and looked back at Shohei with a puzzled expression before looking at the drink, “Well... I’ve never thought about letting others-- Hm. I suppose a sip can’t hurt you. But I honestly don’t know how drinking the whole thing might affect you so please refrain from that, love.”

“Is it... alcohol?” He said as he gingerly grabbed the glass and gave it a sniff.

“No, but it’s no ingredient you’ve ever heard of and, yes, I am aware you have a vast library of exotic ingredients. I’ve built up a... tolerance of sorts but...” She awkwardly looked around and Shohei had to actively stop himself from raising an eyebrow at her odd behavior, “Just be careful drinking it.”

He shrugged and let a bit pass his lips. His eyes went wider than normal as some unnameable flavor met his tongue. It was something indescribable. Even for him, who was used to so much could begin to put any sort of label. He set the glass down, staring at Yukari and, after a moment, she flicked the air and the entire glass shattered, the bits of glass crumbling to dust. “Wh-What the... I want to know what that i-is, but I know you won’t tell me.”

“Perhaps someday. It’s really not as complex as--” Yukari suddenly stopped mid sentence, completely frozen in place. “It’s gone.”

“Huh? W-Well, you destroyed it. I didn’t think you were p-part goldfish...” Shohei trailed off as the air around Yukari glowed red. “Wait.”

“The motive has stopped.” Yukari turned toward the door, “There’s only one reason that would happen.”

“Wait a moment. Y-You know that Nori was dead b-before we found him and i-if I’m remembering right, you knew what was in the S-Storage Room too. Wouldn’t you know if... if that happened again?” Shohei began to move forward as Yukari’s pace quickened.

“All of my energy has been focused here. I can figure it out, but that will take more time than normal.” Yukari paused at the door handle, “Well, at least now that I no longer have to worry about that, the real Yukari can make her move again. Kyahahahaha!”

She threw open the door and made her way to the large hallway with a strange speed, Shohei thought. She wasn’t panicked, but she wasn’t being leisurely either. Once they had passed through the door frame, Shohei shut the door as he heard frantic footsteps. “Ah, good. Nagakage and Takanichi. There is an emergency. I couldn’t see through all of the things in the air, but someone has been attacked in the... the room. The room with the big broken object. Two, er, flights? No, two floors down.”

Shohei turned to see Mei. She seemed calm, but her eyes carried a sense of urgency. “Th-The Observatory?”

“Come along then, Shohei. I know have parameters, so this should be quicker. Mei, if you would bring the others as well. That’d be quite helpful,” Yukari smirked and then made her way to the Dining Hall door.

“Understood.” Mei dipped her head and then disappeared into the Red Hallway. 

Shohei quickly followed behind Yukari, his tremors worsening as the reality began to sink in. What would they find-- No, who would they find? They stood in the elevator, but the world was on fast forward and it wasn’t long before they stepped into the hallway that led to the Arboretum. Yukari passed into the next room and Shohei brought his pace up to a jog.

“Shohei, wait--” He heard a snap under his foot and the sound of something heavy swinging. He turned his head to see a large pointy stick speeding toward his face before it splintered in mid-air, trails of red smoke leading back to Yukari, “This is place is trapped, I see. Let us be careful, yes?”

Panting, Shohei weakly nodded before resuming, more observant this time. Eventually he stood in front of the door to the Observatory. Now wasn’t the time for hesitating and yet... He couldn’t help it. He glanced back at Yukari, but she simply looked back at him, waiting patiently. He knew that he could take as long as he wanted and the psychoanalyst wouldn’t pressure him, but that was just the spark he needed as he hit the button to open the door.

There was a hiss and despite knowing what he’d find, he felt his blood run ice cold. He swallowed, his throat dry. His panting was the only thing he could feel as his body went numb. He knew what was coming. In just a moment he’d be more removed from the situation that he’d ever want to be. As his eyes rolled back in his head, he managed one sentence, said in a last ditch attempt to calm his racing heart, “Wh-Who’s... Who’s gonna guard the bodies now..?”

Yukari caught him as he fell and stared in, her expression as unreadable as ever. This time, there were two and she spoke a question to no one. “Why am I not surprised?”

Amari Hoshino and Yamato Yukimura were dead.

\---  
Kouki ran as fast as she could. Mei had not given her very much information, just that an emergency had occurred in the Observatory. Without the wind swirling around her, she had a pretty good idea of what that emergency was. Mei had gone to the next door, but Kouki didn’t stick around to watch as she blew into the hallway and into the Dining Hall. Her adrenaline made the wait for the elevator seem much longer and she felt her heart racing.

Finally, it arrived, but the ride down was just as agonising. This feeling of urgency... She didn’t like it. She’d never liked pressure or high energy situations and this game... this killing game... It didn’t help. “Hurry up... Hurry up...” She reached to her leg where she kept jars of paint strapped and stuck her finger in a jar of red paint, swirling it around as her impatience grew.

Ding!

She bolted, the airtight door seeming like nothing, and froze. She’d nearly tripped over a shard of broken tree limb. As she looked up at the nearby tree, she saw remnants of it tied to a vine. “Alright then... Gotta be careful.” She grabbed a fistful of the paint, the thick consistency calming her frantic heartbeat, and took off once more, careful to look at every tree, consider every step she took until, finally, she saw her, Yukari.

“So it’s true... Someone’s really... Someone’s really dead?” Kouki slowed as she drew nearer. Yukari stared at her, unblinking, until she motioned toward the open door to the Observatory.

And so, Kouki looked inside and she felt another part of her die. No, not just one. It felt like she was a stuffed doll, slowly unraveling.

Ding dong. Bing bong.

"A body has been discovered! Please carefully step on over to the Observatory! After a certain amount of time has passed, the class trial will begin!"

She heard rushing footsteps and weakly turned to see Mei leading the group, telling the others where and where not to step. Two of them... There were two this time. It was unbelievable. Kouki had thought that no one would willingly kill anymore and yet... It was time to wake up. This was reality. Amari and Yamato were dead.

\---

Investigation: Begin.

\---

“The killer is real lucky that I didn’t get hit by one of their traps! If so, they might’ve gotten punished! Puhuhuhu!” The voice of Monokuma came from the top of a nearby tree and he slid down a vine. “I came to let you all know that the Monokuma File has been loaded onto your Monopad. Have fun!”

As awkward as ever, Monokuma ran off, his gait merely a waddle. Kanna stepped forward, his breathing much heavier than normal, “Right then... Investigation time.”

“No need to act so tough, you perfect loser.” Marise frowned at the ground. Her body was soaked in sweat, though it was drying by now and she wiped her forehead, “Wake up your partner and let’s get going already. This time we have an even amount of people, so no more groups of three.”

Kanna didn’t respond as he turned to look at Yukari, who was still holding Shohei. As Haru followed his gaze, he felt as though Yukari’s entire demeanor was different and he narrowed his eyes. “If you’re not going to wake him, I’d be more than happy to.”

Kanna still didn’t say a word and Yukari shook her head before tapping Shohei on the shoulder, “Come on then, you bean.”

He coughed and struggled until Yukari dropped him and after a moment of recovering, “D-Did you just call me a b-bean!? You psycho...” Shohei stood up, brushing the dirt off of his apron and turned to the Observatory, “Oh... Yeah. Well, shit... I forgot about that.”

“Kanna and Shohei, Keroko and I, Haru and Kouki... I don’t know what to say for the rest of you... Ami’s dead, Shigeru hasn’t had an official partner for a while, and I’m certainly not investigating the whack-job loser Setsuka.”

“Fujioka. Let us investigate together.” Mei dipped her head. “Nagakage and Setsuka can be left to their own will. We do not have enough people anymore.”

“Who’s... Who’s gonna guard the bodies?” Kouki spoke up as she moved near Haru, who cocked an eyebrow at her red-stained hand. “They... They’re both gone now...”

“There’s too much ground to cover. I’m not sure we can afford to leave anyone here...” Marise grit her teeth, “Unfortunately, that leaves the killer free reign. If we’re partnered up, it shouldn’t be a problem, but... I don’t exactly trust Yukari and Setsuka.”

“Yukari didn’t d-do it. She was w-with me the entire time,” Shohei piped up, “A-As for Setsuka...”

“Kukuku... Do you not find credence in permitting my self-governance?” Setsuka tilted her head, crouching until her face was level with Marise, “Ah, you see. Now that I have reclaimed liberation, Niseko can employ potentialities once suspended behind the barriers crafted by my sovereignty.”

Niseko hopped off of Setsuka’s arm where she’d been sitting. “I have a recording function! I’ll keep master in my sights the whole investigation, that way, you’ll know everything Setsuka does!”

“Is that satisfactory, Miss Marise?” Setsuka grinned and stood back up, “Surely... Everyone! Do your best. Kukuku!” Without anything further, she scooped up Niseko and darted off, surprising Haru at just how quickly she could move in her long dress.

“Hmph. I imagine you want the Data Room, Keroko? We can stay in the Arboretum.” Marise turned to her partner.

“Mei is right. We’re running out of people and there are too many areas. I’m not sure if just going around checking alibis is going to cut it, anymore,” Kouki looked down.

“K-Kanna... Let’s take the O-Observatory.” Shohei shivered as he glanced back in, “W-We don’t need to come up with another place. Just here.”

Kanna still refused to say a word. His silver eyes were glued to the dark shape of Amari’s corpse and Shohei let out a defeated sigh.

“Well, you seem to know a bit about what happened, correct, Mei?” Shigeru lifted a finger, “Take me through your footsteps. Let’s see if we can find something through that.”

“Understood.” She dipped her head and began to walk off through the trees, carefully looking around as she did.

Yukari smirked and shrugged, “By this point, I feel I am obligated to waste my time in the Auditorium. However, I am no longer burdened by a partner... A-hunting I shall go.” She glanced back at Haru as she began to walk off and he couldn’t help but notice that the psychoanalyst failed to mention where she was headed to.

“We should go to Amari and Yamato’s dorms,” Kouki finally decided before pulling out her Monopad. “But first... I want to confirm this.”

_ **Obtained Truth Bullet: Monokuma File #3** _

_ **Part 1 -** _

_ **Victim: Amari Hoshino** _

_ **Cause of Death: Asphyxiation** _

_ **Time of Death: 2:21 PM** _

_ **Part 2 -** _

_ **Victim: Yamato Yukimura** _

_ **Cause of Death: Asphyxiation** _

_ **Time of Death: 2:16 PM** _

“Don’t worry about wasting your time confirming it. If there’s something important in their dorms, go there. If not, you can always come back.” Kanna’s voice sounded weary and Haru recognised the same defeat that Shigeru and Yamato had both held. Kanna’s relationship with Amari... Just what was it and why had it never come up before?

“K-Kanna... Alright. We may not be guarding the body, but we’re i-in the same room as the bodyguards, i-including the bodyguard, s-so let’s make like b-bodyguards and go through this crime scene.” Shohei smiled a sheepish smile, “In other w-words, er... shall we... Observe?”

“Shohei. You’re getting worse at this.” Kanna shook his head and entered the dark room.

Kouki spun back around to look at Haru and she scratched her face, leaving red marks from the paint, “Let’s go, Haru.”

She darted off, her eyes trained on the trees overhead, “Kouki... Why do you suppose the Arboretum is trapped like this?”

“Rule ten. One Blackened may kill as many students as they’d like. My bet is that the killer is trying to eliminate us one by one. I’m a bit worried about the pairs... If the Blackened’s goal is to kill us all before the trial, then... Their partner is in danger. On the other hand, the Blackened risks being caught with each chance they take.” Kouki called back as she moved. Her voice was filled with an unusual determination and Haru admired it. Especially after what she had said earlier and the discovery of not just one, but two bodies. Yet, it also worried him a bit, how quickly she’d come to that conclusion.

“This is just a game to them, right now. A game of cat and mouse,” Haru narrowed his orange eyes. He felt like he’d gotten to know everyone to at least some degree and with how they had combated the last motive, it shocked him that someone could’ve had this mindset and gone right under their noses. “Someone here is a really good actor, I’ll give them that.”

“An actor... huh?” Kouki slowed as she reached the door and hit the button, “I don’t want to suspect people. It won’t ever get any easier... But after Ami and Rikuto... We have no choice. Who could do this? Who could not only kill both Amari and Yamato, but set traps and try to get the rest of us, too?”

“It’s all so calculated, ugh.” Haru grimaced, “And I won’t ever forget: Everyone here is intuitive in their own right. It could literally be anyone.”

“At the very least, we can conclude that the killer is trying to kill us all.” Kouki bit her lip as she stepped through and hit the elevator button.

_ **Obtained Truth Bullet: Killer’s Motives** _

_ **It seems as if the Blackened is trying to kill as many students as possible.** _

“And one of the ways they’re doing it is by trapping the Arboretum.” Haru added.

_ **Obtained Truth Bullet: Trapped Arboretum** _

_ **The Arboretum is full of traps, likely left by the killer.** _

“Jeez, I really get the feeling that this Blackened is really bold. Who would go out of their way to try killing everyone else as their escape route? Actually, when I think about it, if they did manage to escape, then... They’d kill everyone anyway. But why this? Sure, you’re eliminating enemies, but you’re also lowering the amount of people to choose from...” Kouki placed a finger to her lip in deep thought, “Unless the killer manages to kill each and every one of us, this is going to make it tougher for them.”

“Or, if they killed the people who would be able to discover them easily. Like Yukari, who knows what’s going on anywhere at any given time, Marise, who’s seasoned with murder mysteries, Setsuka, who’s been in the position of killer before, Mei, who’s also murdered before and is awfully perceptive, and Kanna, who... Well, actually. I don’t know about Kanna.” Haru paused.

“...Or you?” Kouki hesitated as she said it and looked Haru dead in the eyes, “The person who’s managed to put together every case and corner the killer. You’re in trouble, too, Haru.”

“Er, no. I just use what the others find out and look cool pointing at people. And then comes the storm of regret as I realised that I just sentenced someone to death.” Haru shook his head, “Still, you have a point. I’ve made myself a presence during the trials and I might have just dug myself a hole doing that.

Ding!

Kouki stepped out of the elevator and immediately made her way to the hallway, but she paused in front of the two doors, “Who first? Amari or Yamato?”

“How about Yamato. I, er, I haven’t seen his room yet.” Haru shook his head at his own terrible justification and instead, led the way to the Blue Hallway. He scanned the doors until his eyes landed on the one bearing the Rinrin Roar crest. This was Yamato’s, a school known for strange courses, like stage magic. Perfect for Yamato, Haru thought.

He opened the door and took a moment to view his surroundings. Soft music met his ears. It sounded like something he’d hear on a carousel and he quickly located the source to a speaker. The room was bright and cheery, with an obvious circus theme.

“Yamato must’ve hated his room,” Kouki observed. “Look at the speaker, it’s full of dents. I’d bet you anything that Yamato hit it more than a few times to shut it up.”

“I remember... You’d left the room, but Yamato said his room was dumb. Way back in our first meeting, but of course he tried to cover it up after he said it. But honestly, when it comes down to it, underneath his persona, Yamato wasn’t a very happy person. I’m inclined to believe you.” Haru nodded, recalling the event in question, “So, anyway. Unsurprisingly, everything’s pretty damp. Yamato’s weather condition was ‘Blizzard’, so that makes sense.”

“Yamato died at 2:16 according to the Monokuma File. The time we discovered the bodies... It wasn’t too long after. Maybe 2:30 at the latest?” Kouki began to fingerpaint some notes, “That’s at the latest. I have no idea how quickly Yukari and Shohei made it to the Observatory.”

“Shohei has a knack for finding corpses, doesn’t he?” Haru muttered. “Since we found the body so quickly, it’s reasonable that Yamato’s room is still wet. My question is, how long ago did Yamato leave his room?”

“I don’t recall seeing him at all, today.” Kouki nodded, “So I really don’t know. Also, unfortunately, I don’t see anything that could be a clue here. Should we bounce on over to Amari’s dorm?”

“Yeah, let’s go.” Haru bit his lip and Kouki led out of the dorm and through the hallways until she stood in front of the Akamine door, “Alright, in we go.”

She led in and Haru took in the room. It was fairly identical to back when Amari entered for the first time with Shigeru, but Haru had never seen it before. He was surprised by how much it resembled a modern version of Mei’s room, although the surfaces were caked in dust and sand. His eyes were drawn to the desk, where the picture stood. “What’s this?”

He took a good look at it. It pictured three people who looked rather well off. An adult female and an older teenage girl. It was fair to assume that they were a family. “I remember bringing up the oddities in my room and Amari mentioned that there was something in hers that would forever remind her that she was duty-bound. I think this is the family she was currently serving.”

“So then... That’s Rika?” Haru pointed to the teenage girl, “Rika Asahibashi. The Ultimate Solar Physicist. Amari told me that her client was a family. Among them was this girl, Rika.”

“Solar Physicist, huh? One moment, Haru. There’s something here.” Kouki bent down and picked up a paper near the door. “It’s a letter. From Yamato, it looks like. And, eugh, it’s wet. I’m really not a fan of wet things. Water messes with my paint... Er, sorry. Hmm... ‘Amari, please come to my room. I have a request that I can only ask of you... Yamato.’ Seems pretty straightforward.”

_ **Obtained Truth Bullet: Wet Note** _

_ **A damp note was found in Amari’s room by the door asking her to come to Yamato’s room. It is signed by Yamato.** _

“Hm, so Yamato asked Amari to come to his room and... Then they went to the observatory? The paper is wet, so I can only imagine this was pretty recent.” Haru glanced at the note and Kouki slid it in between two pages of her notepad. “I’m not seeing anything else here, though. There’s a lot of sand which, again, makes sense given that her condition was ‘Sandstorm’, but nothing else. The killer either didn’t come in here or didn’t have a condition that would affect the environment around them. I’m gonna go with the first.”

“It’s the more likely one. After all, I can’t see any reason the killer would come here. Especially if Yamato and Amari went to the Observatory of their own accord.” Kouki hung her head, “We found this note, but nothing else. I feel like this was mostly a waste of time.”

“Every bit of evidence we can get is crucial. Come on, let’s go back to the scene of the crime. Maybe we can pick up some alibis on the way. Speaking of which, Kouki?” Haru glanced at her.

“In my room. I stopped by the Supply Room to grab some more paints. I had just run out again. I think I went through more paint during this motive than I have in the rest of my life.” She answered. “Well, anyway, I saw Keroko in the File Room on my way back, so I’m sure she can corroborate my alibi. And you?”

“Yeah. I was with Mei for a while, but she suddenly said she had some urgent business. I know it sounds suspicious, but she does that a lot. She said something about needing to talk to Shigeru.”

“Shigeru, huh?” Kouki said as she continued writing. “Okay, let’s go. I’d like to talk to Mei. After all, she witnessed the murder, right?”

“Apparently.” Haru responded, “Anyway, I agree. Let’s go. She should be with Shigeru... Probably somewhere in the Arboretum.”

Kouki paused for a moment longer and Haru saw some strange emotion that she couldn’t place. It was rare, those times when he didn’t know. But he could take a guess. The reason he couldn’t tell was because Kouki herself was lost. Shaking her head, she silently made her way out of the room and through the hallways.

As Haru and Kouki entered the Dining Hall, they paused, seeing a strange scene unfolding before them. “I am only going to say it once more. Please stay out of my way. You know nothing of what is happening and you never will. You are just a hindrance here.”  
“Like the pestilence of a blighted world, you will not be scoured of I.” It was Setsuka and Yukari. They were circling each other like wolves. “A recollection echoes within my mind upon your visage. A recollection of a foul designation. She was blonde with eyes cold like ice.”

“Well, allow me to remedy your misconceptions. My hair is ginger, not blonde. I am not an adult, nor am I a neuroscientist. Come now, you don’t believe me to be Renako. Perhaps her offspring? Kyahahahaha!” Yukari grinned a wide malicious grin, like a shark, “What would that imply? Tell me, Setsuka. What would that imply?”

“The successor to Renako Fuyuizumi being you? That is an abnormal impossibility. I solely point to an equivalence between two monitors of the brain.” Setsuka shook her head, “Renako is inanimate. Riposte to me, Yukari. Do you pine for the same fate?”

“Mutilated, discarded, ravaged. Torn apart by your hands?” Yukari looked up at Setsuka, “Hacked apart by a doll who claims to not be able to hold a kitchen knife? I think not.”

“Hey, now! That was before! Before Setsuka was here, I couldn’t have. And that’s because I am more precise when I’m on autopilot!” Niseko raised her voice from a nearby table.

“Why do you hide your name, Setsuka?” Yukari stopped walking. “I know you haven’t forgotten it.”

“My birth label name is of no more relevance to my being. The epithet I bear is ‘Setsuka’.” Setsuka also stopped walking.

“Ah, but, Isn’t Miya--”

Without warning, Setsuka struck Yukari across the face, her head tilted up, “Kukukukuku... Very close there... I am bewildered that you did not parry. Your familiar failed to secure your protection.”

“Familiar?” Yukari spat on the ground, her saliva mixed with blood, “What fantasies are you deluding yourself with?”

“Kukuku... Is the finger I point misguided? Then salvage me from this broken wonderland.” Setsuka stared down at her, her face a stone mask, “Shall you swipe back?”

“What I could do is far worse. Perhaps conjure a noose with my ‘familiar’. Or should I make the blood in your body boil... No Setsuka, my aim is not to kill.” Yukari turned toward the clock, “What is stopping me from divulging your secrets without you around?”

“Logic.” She hissed.

“My, my. My logic is certainly not something you’d understand.” Yukari giggled.

“You want my presence present. So that you may belittle as you chant at me.” Setuska licked her lips, “That is your logic.”

Yukari placed a finger to her chin, “Well, if you wish to place your stock in that answer, perhaps I’ll spill it right now. And a weak struggle won’t cut it this time. If you are to be here for that moment... Then.”

“Come Niseko, let us away.” Setsuka stuck her arm out and the doll leapt on before they both entered the elevator and vanished.

“You deserved that, you know.” Kouki glared as she walked forward, stiffly. “I wish she’d done it again and again...”

Yukari wiped the blood off of her chin and stared back at Kouki, “Such violence.” She sat down in one of the chairs and glanced from Kouki to Haru, “My alibi is straightforward. I was in Shohei’s room, with Shohei, suppressing the motive. You can’t dispute it. There is no way I could have even had a hand in this murder.”

Obtained Truth Bullet: Yukari’s Account

At the time of death, Yukari had been with Shohei, negating the weather effects in the Blue Hallway.

“I suppose that’s true.” Haru muttered, “But I just don’t get it. Why stop the motive? You clearly are just trying to cause trouble. To knock our spirits only to build it back up again. We’re just players in your game. I can’t see any advantages to stopping the motive.”

“Other than the satisfaction of beating the mastermind? Sometimes you just need to think a little less complexly, Haru.” Yukari raised a finger. “Now, do you really have the time to be talking to me?”

“No, we don’t.” Kouki tightened her fist. “Let’s go, Haru.”

Kouki walked straight to the Elevator and Haru moved to follow, but as he passed Yukari he heard something, so quiet he would have missed it if he weren’t paying acute attention to the psychoanalyst. He turned, frowning, “Get some rest, Yukari.”

“Wh... What?” Her head snapped up, “Whatever are you talking about, Haru?”

“That sigh. You can’t hide it from me. You’re tired.” He shook his head, “You’re not going to be able to do much if you’re so fatigued.”

“Sorry, but I don’t have the will to rely on others.” She crossed her arms and looked at the ground. “Besides, love, you’re acting weird by saying that, you know. What happened to all of the anger and hatred?”

Haru didn’t respond and instead followed Kouki into the elevator. He couldn’t tell what he was feeling anymore. He wasn’t sure what he was supposed to think. Kouki looked at him with unsympathetic eyes and he felt a chill run down his spine. “Kouki. Is everything alright?”

She looked away and bit her lip, “Back when we were investigating the second floor, Yukari said that I was something like a mood equaliser in this group, but if I was overloaded with negativity, even I’d be brought down. Your ability to sense emotions... Haru, do you know what I’m feeling right now?”

“...No,” Haru admitted. Kouki’s face was cold and her movements seemed rigid, “Except that this is something entirely different than what I knew.”

“People vanish from this shelter. Yudai, Rikuto, Nori, Ami, and now Amari and Yamato. A shelter is intended to keep people safe, isn’t it?” Kouki adjusted her necktie and looked into Haru’s eyes, “But no one is safe. Eventually, if nothing is done, we’ll all die except two of us.”

“We can find a way out before then,” Haru said, but the ding of the elevator sounded and, wordlessly, Kouki brushed past him, hitting the button to open the Arboretum. “Kouki, hang on for a moment.”

“Everything hurts, Haru. I’m trying to shut it out but... Because everything hurts, I’m just shutting everything out. Has every part of my soul died? Am I just a shell now?” Kouki hung her head.

“No. I can’t believe I’m the one saying this to you and not the other way around, but people’s wills don’t just ‘die’. A long time ago, I felt like nothing I did mattered and I meant nothing. I felt nothing. But I was wrong. Look at Shigeru and Mei.” Haru shook his head, “Hell, even Yamato was doing his best. Mei managed to talk him out of complete depression.”

“And now Yamato is dead.” Kouki sniffled, “What does that tell us?”

“I don’t think Yamato would want this. Sure, Yamato wasn’t the most positive person, but I highly doubt he’d want anyone moping over his death. And Amari. She was fully prepared to die the moment she heard the rules of this game.” Haru patted Kouki on the back, “Head up, Kouki. We’ll get through this.”

“Well, well. I heard my name.” Shigeru’s head popped around the corner of the door and Haru walked out to see Mei standing behind him. “Kouki, please realise that you mean more than you think. This is a tough situation, I know, but... Hm, well... There’s something to look forward to, right? When you get out, what will you do?”

“What will I... do?” Kouki frowned, “I guess... I’ll look for my sister.”

“There you go, then. Fight for your sister.” Shigeru smiled, pride sparkling in his yellow eyes.

“I do not understand what is going on. Anyway, Fujioka, I heard noises.” Mei looked between the three as she seemingly resumed an earlier conversation, “Yelling or screaming.”

“Did you see the murder, Mei?” Haru tilted his head, “Do you know who did it?”

“No. I... I couldn’t see through the sand and the snow and the hail.” Mei answered, placing a hand on her wakizashi, “However, inside the Observatory, I saw something. There were four figures. The biggest one knocked into another one which fell over. I then went to get help. I regret my actions. I should have gone in myself.”

“Why... Why didn’t you?” Kouki asked, drumming her fingers together.

“I heard Hoshino’s voice. She was talking to me, not Yukimura. She told me to get others.” Mei blinked, “This was before I saw one hit the other. I did not know that Hoshino was dying. I thought she was holding off the killer. I assumed that Hoshino hit someone. Was this the wrong assumption..?”

“So you listened to Amari and went down to the hallway...” Haru muttered, half to himself.

“And there I saw Nagakage and Takanichi and I told them to go to the Observatory before I went to the rest of you.” Mei dipped her head. “There are too many regrets that I have...”

_ **Obtained Truth Bullet: Mei’s Account** _

_ **Mei heard footsteps when she was in the Arboretum and followed them to the Observatory. Peeking inside, she saw four shapes, the largest one hitting another, which then fell to the ground. Seeing this, she ran to get help.** _

“I have a request.” Shigeru raised a hand sheepishly, “If you are in need of somewhere to go, could you go check on Kanna? He is in the Observatory with Shohei, no?”

“Kanna... Yeah, he was acting really strange now that I think about it.” Kouki stared at her thumb, “We can do that. Let’s go, Haru.”

“You are pushier than normal, Maekawa.” Mei observed, her red eyes boring into Kouki.

“Er,” Haru stammered as Kouki moved, her eyes trained on the trees around her. Suddenly there was a snapping noise and something green flashed in front of Haru’s eyes, slamming into Kouki who dropped to her knees and let out a pained yelp, “Kouki!?”

A loose, thorny vine hung down above Kouki who was holding herself up with her arms. Blood dripped down her face and onto the earthy ground. She was panting and when she looked up Haru, he saw nasty looking slash marks on her cheek. “One of the traps... A non-fatal one...”

Haru offered a hand and Kouki grabbed it, pulling herself up. He heard the sound of footsteps and looked to the side to see a wide-eyed Marise. “What the fuck? What happened?”

Her voice was tired sounding and Haru could see that, despite the weather conditions being gone for a while now, she was still sweating and her face was flushed. Kouki seemed to pick up on it, too as she stepped forward to her, “Forget me. Are you okay, Marise?”

“Huh? Yeah, I’m fine. I’m just a bit warm.” Marise placed her hand on her rib and Haru hesitantly extended a hand.

When Marise didn’t make a fuss or bat away his hand, he placed it on her forehead, “You’re burning up, Marise. You need to get some rest.”

“No!” She stepped backward, “I can’t do that. We’re about to have the trial. C’mon, emo loser, you should know that even if I went to my room, I’m not going to get better before the trial starts.”

“At least go to your room and cool off. You don’t need to open your door for anyone. You know that no one can get in.” Haru said, referring to her hesitance in taking off her jacket. “Marise, please. At the very least, sit down. You’re sick.”

She grabbed her head, angrily glaring at the ground, where Kouki’s blood had fallen, “And let you losers struggle? No thanks. I can power through a little fever.”

“Hm. Well, at the least, let’s get your alibi then,” Kouki said as she wiped her face, staining her white sleeve.

“I was in my room... I think. What time was the murder again?” Marise pulled out her Monopad, “Everything’s been a blur. I haven’t been keeping track of the time. I think I remember it being really hot because the bow bitch was in the other hall.”

“It’s probably been a blur because of this fever!” Kouki exclaimed, “Do you know how long you’ve been sick?”

“You weren’t sick when we talked. At least, not this ill.” Haru grimaced.

“I don’t know. I didn’t even know I was sick.” Marise folded her arms defiantly, “I feel fine. Anyway, don’t you have somewhere to be? I can’t believe I came all this way to see a loser who got caught up in a psychopath’s trap...”

“She seems fine to me,” Kouki narrowed her eyes at the insult, “For now, we should leave her be.”

“Alright... Please, take it easy, Marise.” Haru looked at her sympathetically before Kouki began to lead again, this time more observant.

Marise stared as they moved away. Her expression seemed a bit vacant as she spoke, “Yeah... I’m pretty alright at that.”

Once they stood outside the Observatory, Kouki sighed as she hit the button, “I’m worried about her, now. But I guess that’s better than feeling nothing.”

“Yeah,” Haru didn’t know what else to say and, instead, looked into the Observatory. Kanna was kneeling over Amari’s body and Shohei was going through some stuff on the ground, “Kanna, Shohei.”

Shohei looked up, but Kanna didn’t react, “O-Oh! Hello Haru and Kouki... A-Already done, huh? I’m glad y-you’re here, honestly. There’s so much and I feel like my brain’s been put into a coffee grinder trying to m-make sense of it.”

Haru approached him to look at the stuff as Kouki walked over to Kanna, “What did you find?”

Shohei first held up a vine, “This was next t-to Yamato. The poor guy was wh-whipped like a wild beast...”

The vine was covered in thorns, just like the one Kouki had been hit with. The thorns were bloody and some were missing. It was obviously from the Arboretum.

_ **Obtained Truth Bullet: Thorny Vine** _

_ **A vine with many blood-covered thorns from the Arboretum was found near Yamato’s body.** _

“Next, there’s this. I found it next to the telescope.” Shohei held up a black piece of fabric. “I’m not sure if anyone wears any fabric of this color and texture. For i-instance, I compared it to K-Kanna’s cape, but it has way too much elasticity. So, th-that’s got me confused.”

_ **Obtained Truth Bullet: Black Fabric** _

_ **Torn black fabric was found in the Observatory near the telescope.** _

“Urp. I think I’m gonna be sick.” Kouki suddenly exclaimed. Haru whipped his head around to see her stagger back. He shuffled over to see Amari’s body. Immediately, he could see why Kouki was uneasy. Her neck was at an odd angle, crushed. Beside him, Kanna was breathing heavily, silently crying.

“R-Right... Er... I guess we can start with A-Amari.” Shohei also stepped over. The first thing he did was peel back the lower part of her shirt, showing a large, discolored bruise, “N-No idea what could have caused this. It goes from her r-ribcage all the way up to her head.”

“That’s a large bruise,” Haru observed and Shohei moved to point at stab wounds.

“These are confined to her torso. All in the front. None of them pierced through to the back, wh-which makes sense, I guess. It’s hard t-to stab that far. I’d know, I do it every day. I-I’m a professional.” Shohei shut his mouth when Haru glared at him. “O-Okay, fine. Finally, the elephant on the b-bodyguard. Her neck. Th-The Monokuma file says asphyxiation b-but more accurately, her w-windpipe was crushed. What’s weird is that the fracture is relatively level. Her neck was snapped without her head a-actually moving all that much.”

_ **Obtained Truth Bullet: State of Amari’s Body** _

_ **There are signs of bludgeoning on Amari’s right side from her chest up to her head and there are multiple stab wounds in her torso. Her neck has been snapped with signs of downward force. It is likely she died from her trachea being crushed.** _

“Why?” Kanna slowly got to his feet, “She’d only just begun to open up to me again. Who could be so cruel as to take her away from me now?”

“Again? I know you were in the same class, but...” Kouki looked at Kanna. “Why are you so distraught?”

“I... Amari was ignoring me for a while. When she started talking to me again, I thought I’d try... And she answered me and she... she acknowledged both of our errors... We were just-- Agh... Why..?” Kanna gritted his teeth in a pained expression, before looking up at Kouki. His eyes widened, “What happened to you!?”

“I thought it was a new look sh-she was trying. The blood-covered one. I t-tried it before, but I think I d-did it wrong cause I was using N-Nori’s blood, not my own.” Shohei grabbed his arm.

“Shut up, Shohei,” Kanna rolled his eyes, “It looks like you got cut...”

“One of those things hit me when we were getting here,” Kouki pointed at the vine on the ground, “I’m fine, though.”

“We need to get you medical attention but... It will have to wait, unfortunately...” Kanna sighed.

“W-Well... Let’s talk about Yamato.” Shohei led the others to Yamato’s body, though Kanna stayed where he was, “It’s much different th-than Amari. Lots of lacerations all over his body. Most of them a-are pretty deep, too. There’s also bruising on him, but his is more contained than Amari’s. Th-There’s one small, located bruise square on his chest. A bigger one is on his shoulder blades and then... Th-There’s the cause of his death.”

Haru watched as Shohei ran a finger over a dark depression on Yamato’s neck. His eyes trailed up to Yamato’s face which was a pale white. Strangulation.

_ **Obtained Truth Bullet: State of Yamato’s Body** _

_ **Yamato’s body contains many lacerations and there is bruising on his chest, neck, and back. Due to the bruising and indentations on his neck, it is likely that he died from strangulation.** _

“I, uh, closed them, but Yamato’s eyes were open. I-It was a bit creepy.” Shohei bit his lip, “I think it’s also important to n-note the Observatory’s condition. Sand and water.”

_ **Obtained Truth Bullet: State of the Observatory** _

_ **The floor of the Observatory was both sandy and wet.** _

“We haven’t found any murder weapons except that vine,” Kanna muttered. “In other words, there’s nothing that matches Amari’s stab wounds.”

Kouki glanced around the room, “The telescope is in a different position. Hang on, can you help me out, Haru?” Haru walked over to her and she placed a hand on his shoulder before clamoring up on top of the telescope. “Yeah... The lens is broken. This telescope... I wonder if the glass was used. Unfortunately, the shards seem to be inside and I can’t reach that far. If one of them is bloody, we’d have no idea.”

_ **Obtained Truth Bullet: Broken Telescope** _

_ **The lens of the telescope is shattered. At least some of the pieces have fallen inside the telescope.** _

“Cloudy, kitsune rain, diamond dust, windstorm, blizzard, thunderstorm, drought, fog, rainstorm, hail, and clear... I think we can use our conditions to eliminate quite a few people...” Kanna swept his gaze across the floor. “But it’ll be hard.”

_ **Obtained Truth Bullet: Monokuma's Motive** _

_ **The motive given was extreme weather conditions. They are as follows:** _

_ **Kanna = Cloudy** _   
_ **Haru = Sun Shower** _   
_ **Shigeru = Diamond Dust** _   
_ **Amari = Sandstorm** _   
_ **Kouki = Windstorm** _   
_ **Yamato = Blizzard** _   
_ **Shohei = Thunderstorm** _   
_ **Marise = Drought** _   
_ **Setsuka = Fog** _   
_ **Keroko = Rain** _   
_ **Mei = Hail** _

_ **Yukari’s presence negated the other weather effects.** _

Kouki slid down but something seemed to catch her eye as she did and she made her way to the other side of the room. Haru recognised what she’d noticed. Yamato’s hoop. Just as Kouki laid her hands on it, a sound drew their attention away.

Ding dong. Bing bong.

"As much fun as I have watching you all scurry about like insects, I think it’s time we got this show on the road. Please come on over to the Dining Hall!”

"W-Wait a moment, before you go--" Shohei started but it was too late. Beside him, Kouki sighed and headed for the exit. "Er, alright then... H-Haru, at least, I guess. I was debating whether to tell you or not because it doesn't seem relevant to the case but--"

"There's no time for that now, Shohei. We can discuss it after the trial." Haru turned to Kanna who sadly looked down at Amari. With gentle hands, he lifted up the deceased's head solemnly and shut his eyes, tears dripping down. With a dark expression, Shohei turned and left. Giving out one last sigh, Kanna pulled Amari's pendant off and stood up, motioning for Haru to follow.

As Kanna led Haru to the elevator, he was stopped by a voice, "Kanna? I thought it was odd that Shohei came out and not you. I have been wondering about... Oh, I see you have been... Oh dear."

Haru turned to see Shigeru. The cosmetologist rifled through his bag until he pulled out something that looked like a dark pen and a small box. "Shigeru, you're going to the Dining Hall, right?"

"Of course, of course. Now, Kanna, I believe this should match your skin tone and, please, do touch up your eyeliner." Shigeru tossed them both to Kanna, who caught them with ease, "We must hurry, though. I don't think I want to know what happens if Monokuma decides someone is late. Even if we're moving, I expect someone like you can do your makeup?"

"I'd prefer time to ensure that it is--"

"Oh, have more faith in yourself. I know you've dressed yourself up for many years." Shigeru winked, "Isn't that what you're best at? Believing in yourself?"

Kanna nodded without a word and as he continued to walk, he pulled out a handkerchief to dry his face before opening the box, which Haru could only assume was foundation. For Shigeru to be carrying foundation that matched Kanna's skin, which was far lighter than his own... Only someone like him would do that.

By the time the elevator dinged, Kanna shook his head, having finished and returned the items to Shigeru, "Don't it seem a bit redundant to go down in the elevator only to go even further?"

"The game is whatever Monokuma decides..." Haru frowned. He shut his eyes. Here, in the trial ground, they would be fighting once again. He recalled Kouki's words. Could he truly protect the lives of everyone or would he be blindly stumbling through yet another act staged by the mastermind and the Blackened?

"Everyone! We have been greeted once in finality..!" Setsuka addressed the group as they stepped out. "Kukukuku!"

"With all of you all over the place, that took quite a while. You're lucky I'm so patient..." Monokuma grinned once Haru got a view of him, "Here's another fun fact for you all! The SRS was built quite recently, but the plans for it have been in place for a long, long time. I wonder if any of you had ever heard of it before now... Upupupu..."

"What does that mean?" Kouki frowned, "Someone knew about the SRS before being trapped here? Is that... possible?"

"I-If someone was involved in the construction... That m-might be possible. But even then, I doubt they'd have anything to do with, well, anything. W-We were told that the shelter was repurposed, right? Of course, the mastermind would k-know, but it's not impossible that a normal student might, t-too." Shohei bit his lip, glancing at Yukari as he said it, "And they m-might just be silent because they're afraid of what it would i-imply to the rest of the group."

"Did you know then, Shohei?" Niseko called out from atop Setsuka's shoulders.

"N-No! Of course not!" Shohei yelped, stumbling backward, nearly into Yukari, who straightened him again with a simple tap. She seemed preoccupied, however. She hadn't even been looking at Shohei, merely staring at Monokuma with an unreadable expression.

"Right, well. I have to go get prepared. Come on into the elevator and let's get this trial going!" Monokuma cried out in glee and hopped back through the floorboards.

The students one by one made their way into the elevator and, this time, without Ami, Amari, and Yamato, it felt even colder. Even emptier. If all the world's a stage and the people merely players, what did that make them?

The elevator began to sink and, slowly, the doors opened once more. They had returned to the trial ground. Ten were going in and, at most, nine would be coming back out. Haru shut his eyes to take a breath before taking his place at his podium.

He stared directly across the circle, at Yudai's portrait. The same, once waterlogged picture still there. Of course, Rikuto and Nori's pictures were also still in their place, but now... He looked at Kouki who solemnly stared at the pictures surrounding her. To her left was Yamato's portrait, with three strikes through it like claw marks. To her right was Amari's, similarly marked, but with crosshairs. The whole room was silent and filled with an uneasy atmosphere.

"I want to start with a basic explanation of the class trial. During the class trial, you will present your arguments for who the blackened is, and vote for "whodunnit". If you can figure out the culprit, only they will receive punishment. But if you pick the wrong person... Then I'll punish everyone besides the blackened, and that person will be released from the SRS!" Haru had to resist the urge to cut Monokuma off. The recording tape vibe of the repeated line made the trial feel hollow and fake, "Upupupupu... Now then. Who did it!?

The Perfect Paragon from the Clouds, Kanna Kanichi?  
The Song Played By the Fox's Rain, Haru Tanioto?  
The Diamond of the Mirror World, Shigeru Fujioka?  
The Inspiring Breeze of Seven Colors, Kouki Maekawa?  
The Embodiment of Thundering Storms, Shohei Takanichi?  
The Sunny Whirlwind of Fire, Marise Kita?  
The Fog-Obscured Puppeteer, Setsuka?  
The Girl of Land and Rain, Keroko?  
The Resolute Hitwoman of Hail, Mei Meiyo?  
Or the Unpredictable Executioner of Order, Yukari Nagakage?

Who killed Yamato Yukimura? Who killed Amari Hoshino?"

"Why... Why are they different?" Shohei mumbled, half to himself.

"I thought you of all people would enjoy my wordplay, Shohei! I am hurt..." Monokuma then grinned, "Of course if you were wondering. The dearly deceased... Ah, this is a lot, so pay attention. Ami Yumekuu, the Silent Terror in the Night, Yamato Yukimura, the Leader of None, Follower of None, and Amari Hoshino, the Shattered, Unmoving Wall. Upupupu... But I had no idea who would die, so both victims had an alternate title as well. The Leader of Snow, Follower of None and the Sandy, Unmoving Wall, naturally!"

"This is all irrelevant! We don't have time for this nonsense." Marise spat. She still looked very ill and Haru had a feeling she hadn't rested at all, "We need to get moving. So, first. We'll need to share what we found. But before that, I--"

"If I may cut in, just a bit. Apologies, love." Yukari addressed Marise and then turned to Kouki, "Ah. Shohei, I think I may need your help."

"U-Uh... What?" Shohei looked at Yukari and then to Kouki. Awkwardly, he walked over to her, "Um... What am I s-supposed to be doing?"

Kouki frowned, glancing at Yukari and then at Shohei. Haru also had his eyes trained on Kouki, but out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of Yukari poking the air and what looked to be a bullet of her smoke flew toward Kouki. It was too fast for Haru to even yell out and by the time he could, he'd realised what Yukari had done. The cut on Kouki's face was gone. Shohei still stared at Kouki and she stared back, oblivious, but all of the others had turned to look at Yukari who had her head bowed and her finger over her lips, signaling for silence. "Excuse me, Shohei. It was simply my imagination."

His teeth chattering, Shohei blinked and shuffled back to his own podium. Yukari had used him as a distraction, but what exactly was her goal there. He saw the psychoanalyst make a strange face at Marise before shaking her head. "After the trial, Marise."

"After-- What? I'm fine." She folded her arms, "Now if you're done interrupting me, bow bitch, I have something to say. The killer is obviously Mei!"

"Again with this?" Shigeru scratched the back of his neck, "Haven't you worn these accusations out, Marise?"

"Not this time." She glared daggers at Mei, who blankly stared back.

_Nonstop Debate: Start!  
__Truth Bullet: Killer's Motives_  
  
MARISE: Let me make one thing clear, first.  
MARISE: Sure, I mistook Mei as the killer last time, but this time..?  
MARISE: Well there's a mountain of evidence to support me.  
MEI: But I did not kill Yukimura nor Hoshino.  
KANNA: I'll admit, her witnessing the murder and not intervening is strange.  
MEI: But I was told--  
MARISE: It's because she couldn't intervene with herself!  
MARISE: Mei did the deed, killed Amari and Yamato...  
MARISE: And then brought us to the Arboretum, claiming to be a witness.  
SHIGERU: But what of the traps, Marise?  
_MARISE: It was an intent to slow us down!  
_MARISE: Maybe even take some of us down.  
KOUKI: But Mei... Mei is more than capable of beating any of us in combat...

"No, that's wrong!" Haru yelled out and continued when Marise shot him a strange glance, "Those traps... I think they were set to kill us."

"I'm all for trying new looks, b-but the 'neck snapped by flying tree branch' is beyond me..." Shohei bit his lip, "If Yukari hadn't been there, I-I would've gotten seriously hurt."

"Right, but Mei... When has she ever been discreet about her actions? Hiding traps instead of fighting someone one-on-one, that seems a bit strange." Haru added, but Marise simply watched him. Her eyes were strange. Unfocused, but still holding conviction.

"Perchance, Mei is privy to your conception of her... And acted contrary to the presuppositions you hold." Setsuka was hunched over her podium, drumming her fingers on the wood. Niseko still sat on her shoulders. It was strange to see someone actually occupying that podium, Haru realised, "Perspicacious, perhaps she is. Leading us in a cycling procession of misdirection... Could that be her lust?"

"I do not understand any of the words you are speaking, Setsuka." Mei shook her head, "And yet, I can sense the hostility in your tone. You are siding with Kita, then? Very well, I will fight you and force your opinions to change!"

"That's not helping your case," Niseko placed her hands together.

"Like always, I think you have brought forth your accusations too soon, Marise." Kanna lowered his head, "I too wish for nothing more than to find the person who did this as quickly as possible, but as you first posed, we should lay out our evidence."

"Kero. Ko reko re... Kero ko ko reko ko." Keroko began to croak, frowning at the portrait of Amari.

"'I know. I brought this up before... But Amari is very strong.'" Yukari translated and then held a finger before Keroko could open her mouth again, "Keroko, both Yudai and Rikuto are gone. Who else do you figure could stand up to Amari's strength?"

"Ro... Kero. Kero. Kero." She pointed at Yukari first, then Setsuka, and finally Mei. "Kero ro ke roko koko kero ko reko. Kero ro kero keke ro kero ko... Kero ko ro koro kero ke."

"That first part was self-explanatory so... 'You have abilities that easily give you the upper hand. Setsuka has strength in numbers... Mei is a trained fighter.'" Yukari brushed her bangs to the side, blinking, "Ah, but... I have another person to add to the list. Can anyone guess who it is? Haru?"

"Me? Why me?" Haru looked at her, but she didn't respond, so he looked around the circle of people. "Alright then, I'm going to guess... Kanna."

Surprisingly, it wasn't Kanna who responded, "Wh-What!? H-Hang on a moment. Kanna's been so distraught over this whole thing... This is e-exactly what happened to Yamato."

"Shohei..." Kanna shook his head and paused before whipping his arm out in a strange flourish. Had anyone else done it, Haru thought it would've looked silly. But with his billowing cape and determined expression, he couldn't help but admire Kanna, "Allow me to fight my own battles. I suppose there is no point in hiding it anymore. Amari and I were once in a relationship and just recently, the ice had melted just a bit. So, Yukari, is your suspicion directed at me because you believe that Amari would lower her guard around me?"

"Suspicion? Now, I didn't say that. I just said that you were missing from Keroko's list. But, yes. Precisely. Subconsciously, Amari was aware of your habits and mannerisms and behaviors. Knowing that she understood you to a degree, she would naturally be less suspicious of you." Yukari rose a finger, "Come, Kanna. Where is your rebuttal?"

The prodigy stared in confusion for a bit and Haru understood his feelings. It felt less like Yukari was accusing him and instead, leading him to some conclusion. Finally, Kanna spoke, "Yamato. Where does Yamato fit into all of this?"

"Indeed. Where indeed does Yamato fit..." Yukari pursed her lips.

_Nonstop Debate: Start!  
__Truth Bullet: Wet Note_  
  
KOUKI: Not only did we find Amari, but Yamato, too.  
KOUKI: The killer managed to take out both of them.  
SHIGERU: It's more believable that Yamato would be killed than Amari.  
SHIGERU: With no disrespect intended, Yamato is a far easier target.  
KEROKO: Kero... Ko. Kero ko kekero!  
YUKARI: 'That's... right. But Amari's talent!'  
SHOHEI: The U-Ultimate Bodyguard.  
SETSUKA: You jest, correct?  
SHOHEI: Amari would have been e-easy to take out under those conditions.  
SHOHEI: I-If she took a fatal blow that was meant for Yamato!  
_SHOHEI: Can w-we somehow prove that Amari was protecting Yamato?  
_SETSUKA: Kukuku...

"I agree with that!" Haru nodded grimly at Shohei, "The Ultimate Bodyguard. Could there have been any other way for Amari to go out than for the sake of another? If the killer aimed to kill Yamato and Amari intervened, that would be a way to kill Amari without having to worry about her strength or combat prowess."

"That does seem plausible. That being so, I could see anyone here coming up with a... murder plan with a little ingenuity." Kouki hesitated as she spoke, "If Yamato was the intended target and not Amari, that changes how we should look at it."

"Kanna! Kanna!" Niseko squeaked, "If Amari was protecting someone, would she go down so easily?"

"I... Er..." Kanna adjusted his cape, "I honestly find it a little difficult to believe. Even if wounded, Amari would still be a very capable person. She's trained in this, after all."

"That's easy then." Marise wiped her forehead, "Amari must've been killed in one hit."

"You fail to grasp the certainty of the specificities." Setsuka shook her head, "Allow me to elucidate and bare forth your erroneous claims."

_Nonstop Debate: Start!  
_ _Truth Bullet: Monokuma File Part 2_

SETSUKA: Please, guide me once more on the succession of your conclusion.  
SHOHEI: E-Er... Well, Amari must have protected Yamato.  
MARISE: That's the only way she could have been killed, right?  
MARISE: Unless she struggled with the killer.  
MARISE: However, the only one injured is, er, was Kouki.  
KOUKI: ...Was?  
MARISE: And I saw the cause of that scratch myself.  
NISEKO: But Amari... Protecting Yamato? That's a little weird.  
KEROKO: Kero...  
SHIGERU: It does seem like the only option.  
_SHIGERU: Amari died in place of Yamato and the killer merely took out the witness after._  
MEI: I was a witness and I am not dead.  
MARISE: We'll come back to that, don't you worry.

"No, that's wrong!" Haru yelled after Shigeru said his piece, "I think what Setsuka is driving at is the Monokuma File. Compare the times of death."

"Ah, ah... I see." Shigeru frowned in defeat, "2:21 and 2:16... So Yamato died before Amari. But if she were protecting him, how could that be?"

"Marise... Repeat what you said before." Haru turned toward the novelist.

"Huh? Which part? Mei is suspicious? There couldn't have been a struggle? Amari died in one hit?" Marise shrugged as she said them.

"That last one. Amari died in one hit..." Haru stared at his Monopad. "That can't be right..."

It was implausible that Amari died in one hit because...

"Marise, did you ever see the bodies?" Haru tilted his head at her and she stared back, blankly for a moment before blinking and shaking herself.

"I got a peek inside the Observatory and they're here on the Monopad. But that's a limited view. Anyway, so what?" Marise snapped back, "What does that have to do with anything?"

"Amari's killing wound was probably a crushed trachea. There's no doubt that would kill her instantly, but there were other wounds on her body. Specifically, bruising on her right side and stab wounds all over her body." Haru grimaced as he said it, "If Amari died instantly, why would she have so many other injuries?"

"Because the killer is a sociopath." Marise growled, "And it's probably Mei. I'm-- Wait. Did you say stab wounds?"

"Yeah? Wait... Don't tell me that you're gonna say Mei stabbed Amari..." Haru buried his face in his hands.

"No... I'm gonna think about it for a bit." Marise bit her lip, shifting her weight onto one leg. "Because there's something weird."

"The thing preventing us from believing that Amari protected Yamato is the time of death, no?" Shigeru spoke up. "However, it's been demonstrated in the past that the Monokuma File can and will lie to us. We can't take it at face value."

"The causes of death." Mei muttered, "Is this a lie as well?"

"Stop for a moment," Marise rose a hand, "Mei, your weather condition was hail and if I'm remembering right, there was water on the ground at the crime scene. Amari's corpse has stab wounds on it, you carry around two sharp blades. You were at the scene of the crime and even confessed to that fact. Maybe in the past, I was quick with my accusations but this time... There's really a lot of evidence against you."

Mei frowned at Marise and then drew her wakizashi to look at it. "There is no blood. It is clean. I saw someone get hit, but I did not stay after."

"I'm... I'm wondering if maybe Marise isn't just full of it, this time..." Haru's mouth hung open in his own disbelief, "I don't think you would have done this. At least not with what we know of the killer. But until we prove your innocence... We can't disprove the possibility."

** _SHALL I CUT YOU DOWN!?_ **

He knew it was coming. He knew that Mei couldn't take it calmly for so long. Both blades were drawn as she looked Haru up and down. "Tanioto! I did not believe you to be one to fall for such lies."

"Lies? That's a bit harsh..." Haru trailed off as he saw an intense emotion burn in her eyes. It was more fire than he'd ever seen from her before, "Mei..."

"Very well. Then I will carve the truth into your brain." Mei took an offensive stance and for a second, Haru worried that she may actually move to strike him. "Let us duel. My words are not as sharp as my blades, but my conviction is strong!"

_Rebuttal Showdown!  
__Truth Bullet: Black Fabric_  
  
MEI: There is no way I killed Yukimura.  
MEI: Would you not assume I only killed Hoshino?  
MEI: I kill bodyguards.  
MEI: But I do not kill every bodyguard I see.  
MEI: Nobody ordered me to kill Yukimura.  
MEI: Nobody ordered me to kill Hoshino.  
MEI: You are my client, Tanioto.  
MEI: Did you give me these orders?  
MEI: I saw something in the Observatory.  
MEI: But that is all. I ran when I was told to get help.  
MEI: Killing Yukimura and Hoshino is out of the question!  
MEI: Tanioto... You are being stupid.  
  
_Advance!_  
  
HARU: Stupid? No, Mei. I'm being rational.  
HARU: Looking at all of the evidence, it's possible you did it.  
HARU: I don't want to pursue this line of logic...  
HARU: But if I don't, we won't get anywhere.  
MEI: Then I shall cut with different words.  
MEI: I am quick and silent.  
MEI: I do not like screams. They hurt my ears.  
MEI: But Hoshino was covered in stab wounds.  
MEI: As well as bruising.  
MEI: This is painful.  
MEI: If I kill, I kill in one hit!  
MEI: One cut. One slice. One hit!  
_MEI: I was not in the Observatory.  
_MEI: I stayed outside.  
MEI: I stayed until I was told to go.  
MEI: Why do you not understand?

"I will cut through those words!" Haru grit his teeth, looking away as he cut Mei off. "Mei, what material is your clothing made out of?"

"What... material?" Mei rose an arm to look at her jacket. "I am unsure. What does material mean?"

Keroko, being the closest to Mei, pulled at her side, testing the elasticity. Unsurprisingly, it was quite stretchy. "Kero?" She looked at Haru, her head tilted.

"Shohei found a scrap of fabric in the Observatory. Stretchy, black fabric. The only other ones here who wear anything black are Kanna and Marise, but Kanna's cape and jabot aren't stretchy in the slightest, nor are his pants, I'd imagine. Marise's shirt looks like cotton, which is also not that stretchy. Yet, your outfit, specifically your jacket and leggings... It looks like spandex or polyester. Perhaps a mix. It needs to be stretchy and breathable, right?" Haru bit the inside of his cheek.

"I-- You are confusing me, Tanioto. I do not understand these words. My jacket stretches. This is all I know." Mei was pulling at her sleeve now. "But that... fabric, you say. It cannot be mine. I did not tear my clothing."

"But we all have spare outfits in our rooms," Kanna piped up, "It would have been simple enough to retrieve a new jacket."

"But... I did not do that." Mei frowned, pulling at her sleeve more aggressively. "I did not tear my clothing! Why do you not believe me? Do you really believe that I killed Yukimura and Hoshino?"

"Haru, Haru. Mei doesn't strike me as a good liar. I am having trouble believing this line of logic," Shigeru sighed.

"For the killer to be outed so soon..." Yukari smirked, "I think that's the unbelievable part."

"Cycling within the tornado of torment... We mindlessly entangle ourselves in the predator's machination." Setsuka calmly set her hands down on her podium, "Whether the malefactor is Mei or not, we struggle evermore."

"Remember! Yamato died before Amari! But there's a contradiction in Mei's argument. If Amari was the one to tell her to get help, then Amari was with Yamato before he died. But would Amari really just let Yamato die? How can it be that Amari died after Yamato? Mei could have killed Amari, I think, but not without a struggle." Niseko swayed from side to side in some sort of cheerful demeanor, "I think we should figure this out and then, through that, maybe we'll prove or disprove Mei's innocence."

_Class Trial: Intermission_

\---

_Class Trial: Resume_

"Could the Monokuma File be wrong?" Shigeru brought out his Monopad, "Perhaps the times of deaths are reversed. It could be that Amari died first and Monokuma is trying to confuse us, no?"

"It's possible, but... That seems like a strange detail to fabricate." Haru admitted, "I'm more worried about the cause of death. Sure, seeing Yamato's body, I can definitely believe that he died from being strangled. After all, the only other alternative is that he bled out and there wasn't enough time for that."

"Kero kero ko ke roko kero ro kero." Kero placed a hand on her chest.

"'But Amari could have died from where she was stabbed,'" Yukari translated and then looked at Haru.

"Right, I agree. We don't know for sure if Amari's neck was broken first or if she was stabbed first since the file has lied to us before. If she was stabbed, that makes Mei a much more likely suspect." Kanna added, smoothing out his hair. Haru could detect the faintest hint of uncomfortableness in his voice, presumably from talking about Amari's death.

"But... a crushed windpipe seems much more final to me," Kouki frowned, "If you wanted to kill Amari, you'd do it as quickly as possible. Breaking her neck seems much quicker than just stabbing her..."

"But you'd need to compromise her first, somehow. Amari was the tallest one here. No one could have reached her neck easily enough except maybe Setsuka." Marise wiped her forehead again with her sleeve before taking a breath, "Getting Amari in a position to where you could snap her neck seems impossible."

"The answer is obvious! She was stabbed." Mei nodded.

"That implicates you!" Shohei raised both of his arms, "Wh-Why would you think that?"

"Because of what Kita said." Mei nodded again. "It is logical."

"Okay, b-but suppose that--"

** _"YOU'RE REALLY TAKING MY BREATH AWAY!"_ **

"Puhuhuhu! I live for the moments where I hear two opposing arguments and no resolution. It's debate time!" Monokuma screeched and, once again, Haru was caught off guard by the movement of his podium.

"Well then, Haru. I hope we find the truth." Shigeru was face to face with him and Haru sighed. It was once again time for a face-off.

_Split Opinion  
Is the Monokuma File accurate?_

MEI: Killing by stabbing. It's far easier than the **alternative**!  
SETSUKA: The **alternative**..? I fear puncturing through would provide much difficulty.

MARISE: As if reaching Amari's **neck** isn't difficult!  
SHOHEI: W-Well, if you knocked her over her **neck **would be on the ground.

KANNA: The **Monokuma File** has lied in the past. We cannot trust it.  
KOUKI: The **Monokuma File** did not lie last trial. We can't assume there's a lie at all.

KEROKO: Kero... Keroko kero ke roke kero. Kero ko roke? (Still... Amari is big and strong. Who could **trip** her?)  
YUKARI: Ah. Anyone here could** trip **Amari. The smaller, the easier.

SHIGERU: If the file is wrong, **Amari** could have been killed before Yamato. This makes more sense, no?  
HARU: There are some ways** Amari **could've died first. We just haven't gone over them.

_"This is our answer!"_

"Amari died first and Amari died of a crushed trachea. I believe both of these are the truth." Haru then turned to Marise, "You look like you have something to say, Marise."

Surprisingly, the novelist hesitated before wiping her forehead again with her sleeve. "Yeah, I'm looking at the picture on the file and... I can barely make out the stab wounds. Are you sure they're there at all?"

"They w-were definitely there when we investigated her body." Shohei answered, "But you're r-right. They're hard to see on here."

"Because the blood circulation in a body stops after they die, it means that a corpse doesn't bleed nearly as much as a living person. Therefore, if Amari was stabbed post-mortem, it accounts for the lack of blood." Marise looked up at Haru, "Damn it. I chose the wrong side. Amari died by asphyxiation after all..."

"That isn't something you can clean up," Kanna admitted, "But how do we account for Amari dying after Yamato, then?"

_Nonstop Debate!  
Truth Bullet: State of Amari's Body_

NISEKO: Okay. So, we know that Amari was stabbed after she died.  
SETSUKA: How so does the discrepancy in the interval between personages become justifiable?  
MARISE: You switch sides far too often.  
SETSUKA: Kukuku...  
KOUKI: It's true that if Amari saw someone going for Yamato, she'd stop them.  
_KEROKO: Kero! Ko ke roko kore!_  
YUKARI: 'Got it! Amari was unconscious!'  
SHOHEI: Ah! I-If Amari was knocked unconscious, she couldn't have done a thing!  
KANNA: Knocking Amari unconscious. That would be hard.  
SHIGERU: But is it impossible?  
KANNA: I suppose not...

"I agree with that!" Haru turned to Keroko, "There's one last thing about Amari that we aren't accounting for. The bruising on her body. It went from her chest all the way to her head. If something heavy enough to bruise hit her there, she'd definitely be knocked out."

"I concede, even Amari couldn't weather something like that." Kanna sighed.

"Seeing something like that, I doubt Yamato would've stayed put. The killer would have had no choice but to kill Yamato before Amari because he'd have the opportunity to run and alert others." Haru continued. "Therefore, Yamato had to have been killed before Amari."

"And that is the final discrepancy in the Monokuma File." Shigeru clapped his hands, "Well, well. With that, we have evidence. So, what knocked out Amari?"

What knocked her out? There was only one thing Haru could think of...

"The telescope," Haru answered. "The killer must have hit Amari with the telescope."

"What!? But that thing is huge and heavy! How on earth would that have happened?" Kouki blurted out.

"Consider that the killer was going for Yamato. If you saw someone spinning a telescope, you might not realise right away that it was an aggressive act. Yamato, confused, might not have gotten out of the way, so Amari intervened and got hit herself." Haru explained.

"But how could the killer get the telescope spinning fast enough to hit someone that hard?" Marise squinted, "That must take a lot of strength."

"With each pull, the object moves faster. At the last second, the killer must have lured Yukimura in. Seeing this, Hoshino jumped in." Mei looked down, "This is what I saw, the big object hitting the other object. It was that object hitting Hoshino."

"Kero... Ko kero kero ro ke keke roro.'" Keroko brought a finger to her chin.

"'Then... Why didn't Yamato run away?'" Yukari blinked, "Have you ever witnessed something so shocking that you didn't know how to respond. It felt like nothing made sense because your brain could not accept what was being seen. Yamato must've hesitated from seeing Amari rescue him like that, but the killer was still under adrenaline. After all, they were caught in the rush of murder. Marise, you asked how the killer could move the telescope, yes? The release in endorphins dulls the pain and gives a sort of boost, so to speak, that would make such a herculean task possible. Now, given that Yamato hesitated and the killer's brain processing speed was quicker than usual, what do you suppose happened?"

"The killer got to Yamato before he could run." Shigeru sighed, "Oh dear... With Amari unconscious and unable to protect him, a stunned Yamato would've been an easy target."

"Yamato's body was c-covered in lacerations," Shohei offered, looking quite downcast himself, "But he died from being strangled. Jeez..."

_Nonstop Debate!  
Truth Bullet: Thorny Vine_

MARISE: Wouldn't the pain from the lacerations kick in Yamato's adrenaline?  
KANNA: That does make sense. There was blood on Yamato...  
KANNA: So this had to happen while he was alive.  
MARISE: Right, so... Why didn't Yamato run?  
KOUKI: What if whatever caused those lacerations prevented him from running.  
SHOHEI: Well, there wasn't much at the crime scene that could've been used as a weapon.  
_SHOHEI: In fact, there was only one thing we found._  
SHOHEI: I think that could have done what you're suggesting, Kouki.  
KOUKI: Really?  
MARISE: Something like that exists? Man, now I regret not investigating the crime scene.

"I agree with that!" Haru pointed at Shohei, "That vine, right? The killer could have used it like a whip or a lasso, trapping Yamato."

"Ow..." Kouki instinctively flinched, "Yeah, first-hand experience... That would've hurt."

"Right, but, does anyone have the skill to do that?" Shigeru raised an eyebrow, "Make a lasso or use a whip, I mean."

"Excuse my interruption. What is a lasso and what is a whip?" Mei frowned at Shigeru, "Explain."

"Lasso; Noun; A rope tied with a noose at the end, typically used for catching cattle. Noose; Noun; A loop of rope or a similar object designed to become tighter as it is pulled on. Whip; Noun; A piece of leather or rope used to beat a person or animal." Yukari explained, just as she'd done in the past.

"I see. So Yukimura was treated like an animal. That is unfair." Mei shook her head.

"Just pointing out that you don't need to know what a whip is to use one." Marise crossed her arms, frowning, "Especially if it's a makeshift one like a vine."

"Sorry about the sudden change in topic, but because Marise is once again implicating Mei, I have to wonder. If not Mei's swords, what caused the stab wounds on Amari?" Kanna rose his hand, almost meekly.

Haru hadn't thought about this, but there had to be a simple enough solution, right?

_Hangman's Gambit: Ver.Sub_

OHKSD**G**OEKAOFS**L**DOKFL**A**DGM**S**BDO**S**

"That's it!" Haru snapped his attention back to Kanna, "The glass from the lens of the telescope was shattered. I didn't think about it since it could've shattered on impact with Amari's body, but what if the killer broke it, used a piece to stab Amari's body and then threw it back into the telescope?"

"That would make sense." Kanna nodded, "If that's the case, it could've easily been someone other than Mei. Although another possibility we can't rule out is another outside weapon."

"I disagree. The killer did not have enough time to go anywhere but their room after the murder. In order to bring an outside weapon, they would need to get it from their room and then hide it in their room, else there would be evidence." Shigeru waved a hand dismissively, "Looking around, I would think that myself, Kouki, Mei, and perhaps Shohei would have had access to this sort of weapon. Shohei has an alibi in Yukari and Mei is already under suspicion."

"Kero kore kero ko." Keroko pointed at Kouki.

"'I can confirm Kouki's.'" Yukari translated, "And I will corroborate yours, Shigeru. Being in the Blue Hallway at the time of the murder, I would have seen if you left your room with a weapon. Granted, I was too busy to remember people leaving or not, but a weapon would have caught my attention."

"Shall we return to the mutilation of the ringmaster?" Setsuka grinned and licked her lips, "The sequence of misfortunes, I refer to."

_Nonstop Debate!  
Truth Bullet: State of Yamato's Body_

KANNA: So, after Amari was knocked unconscious, Yamato froze up.  
KANNA: The killer took this opportunity to use the vine to trap him.  
KANNA: Then... They whipped him over and over?  
KOUKI: With all those lacerations, I'd say so.  
KOUKI: It must have hurt a lot. Between all that pain, I doubt he could've run.  
NISEKO: He probably couldn't even move!  
SETSUKA: Kukuku...  
MARISE: So then, using the pain to immobilise him...  
_MARISE: The killer strangled him then and there!_  
MEI: How tall is Yukimura?  
MARISE: Does that... matter?

"No, that's wrong!" Haru slammed a fist into his podium, "We aren't considering Yamato's other injuries."

"What other injuries?" Marise frowned, "He was clearly whipped and strangled."

"W-Well, there was bruising on Yamato, too... On h-his chest and back." Shohei rubbed his neck uncomfortably then touched his chest, "Right here."

"Perhaps Yukimura fell." Mei made a pushing motion, "The killer pushed him and he fell onto his back."

"That would explain the bruising on his back, but not on his chest." Shigeru frowned, "Unless it was a very forceful push, I suppose."

"Kero!" Keroko jumped up to her full height and kicked upward very powerfully. It was clear what she was demonstrating and Yukari didn't even bother translating.

"A kick! That's possible," Niseko shouted with glee. "So, wait... Master couldn't have kicked Yamato. She's wearing a dress that would restrict that movement."

"You sure? It's pleated." Shigeru scratched his head, "N-Not that I want you to demonstrate. Not at all, not at all..."

"No, master couldn't do that. I don't think you could have either, Shigeru. Your clothes look tight. Same with Kanna!" Niseko continued.

"As if I would dare harm Amari." Kanna covered the bottom half of his face with his cape, "Unthinkable..."

"Speaking of that, I can't help but go back to how... cold this Blackened is. Killing the weakest willed person here, setting traps to knock down the rest of us... It's... It's..." Kouki grit her teeth, "We talked about Antisocial Personality Disorder in the last trial and Yukari said that no one here suffered from it, but this is beyond just murder. This is cruelty!"

"Have you not figured it out yet? Just who here could come up with such a convoluted murder plan... Not just come up with it, but feel it rational to execute as well." Yukari shut her eyes, "The murderer took advantage of my lack of perception from the motive, as well. This has been the most calculated murder yet. Who could have done it?"

Yukari already knew? Haru wasn't surprised. When had she figured it out, though? Regardless, Haru had a feeling that she was implying that he had everything he needed to figure out who the Blackened was. He just needed to think about it. Think carefully...

_Logic Dive!_

_Question 1: What did the killer do directly after the murders?_

_A. Set Traps  
B. Return to Their Room  
C. Hide_

_Question 2: Which area of the shelter was trapped?_

_A. The Observatory  
B. The Arboretum  
C. The Elevator_

_Question 3: Who was investigating the Arboretum_

_A. Shohei and Kanna  
B. Marise and Keroko  
C. Mei and Shigeru_

_Question 4: What would the killer need to make this plan?_

_A. Prior Experience  
B. An Accomplice  
C. Time_

_Logic Dive Complete!_

_Results  
Question 1: A  
Question 2: B  
Question 3: B  
Question 4: A_   
  


"It's all coming together!" Haru rubbed the back of his head, "This killer seems almost trained in murder and plots. As far as I know, the only ones who've killed before are Mei and Setsuka, but I have a feeling that how they do things is vastly different. When I overheard Yukari and Setsuka talking, Yukari talked about mutilation and, yes, I won't deny that the bodies are... more than dead, but I wouldn't leap to mutilation and, as an assassin, Mei does things quickly."

"Wh-Where are you going with this, Haru?" Shohei looked at him with fearful eyes.

"I'm saying that this seems like a murder with experience behind it, but the only experienced killers here have vastly different M.O.s," Haru bit his lip.

"This type of planning, could it have been Yukari, then?" Marise turned to look at the psychoanalyst, "She seems cunning enough."

No, it couldn't have been Yukari because...

"Yukari said it herself, she was with Shohei the whole time and he can vouch for that quite easily." Haru hung his head, "There are a couple of ways we can catch this killer and the first thing I'm going to point out is the vine. There were thorns on it, so..."

Something was missing from Yamato's corpse. Something that should have been there from the murder weapon. Specifically, on his neck...

_Hangman's Gambit: Ver.Sub_

FOADSF**W**MEV**O**AW**U**EPGME**N**RISG**D**MG**S**RDF

"Yamato's neck had no puncture wounds on it. It's true that the vine had _some _thorns missing, but not enough that his neck would be free from thorns." Haru looked around, "So, therefore, I think the killer strangled and probably whipped him with something else and then threw the vine in there after to take us away from this conclusion."

"I don't think anyone here has a whip, though." Kouki frowned, following suit and looking at the others in the room. "Yukari can make one, but she has an alibi."

"I think they've been hiding it and probably still are. My second point is this. We found Yamato and Amari very quickly after their death. This tells me that something is wrong with the crime scene." Haru took a deep breath, the pieces slowly coming together.

"The snow," Mei responded.

"Right. Yamato had 'blizzard' and Amari had 'snowstorm'. Since we were so quick, why didn't we see any snow at the crime scene? It couldn't have all melted that quickly." Haru saw looks of confusion now. So he continued, "The last point I want to make is the piece of evidence that doesn't seem to fit anymore. One of the reasons we suspected Mei was that fabric, but like I stated, this is completely out of her M.O."

"Did someone take some of Mei's clothes when she wasn't looking?" Niseko asked, placing her hands together.

"No, they couldn't get into Mei's room and Mei would've noticed her clothing being torn. This is from something the killer had on them." Haru took one final deep breath before starting his accusation. "The one who could have, no, would have melted the snow and has a clothing article that I, admittedly, missed at first..."

He didn't want to say it. After what he'd learned... And after that moment he'd shared... But he had to. He couldn't let his emotions get in the way. He shakily pointed his finger.

"A hair tie is very stretchy, isn't it... Marise." Haru met her gaze and her eyes widened in shock, her mouth opening slightly. "And your hair ties, they're black. Just like the fabric. You set it there to throw suspicion onto Mei, a risky move."

"No... No. I didn't do that." Marise shook her head, but it was very weak. Her eyes were quite glazed over now and she was grabbing her left rib, panting. "I didn't... You said the killer... You said the killer didn't use that vine, right? So what was it, then?"

"I'm not going to spill your secrets, Marise. That's not who I am. So instead, I'll say this. Your mother must have possessed an object that you then took. And that object... It was a whip, wasn't it?"

"A... A whip." She laughed weakly and flicked sweat off of her cheek, "A whip? I told you... She used knives."

"That's a lie. And you've never let go of that whip, have you?" Haru's frown deepened, "Do you want me to go on, Marise?"

"I don't have a whip." She answered, emptily staring at the ground. "Look at me. Do you see a whip?"

"No, because you're hiding it. Y'know, you also hide your arms quite well, Marise. But I can't help but recall that when I saw your arms, they were very defined. As if you use them a lot more than a normal person would."

"I said, I don't have a--"

"Kita! Open up your jacket!" Mei suddenly demanded. "The left side, under your hand. If you refuse, I will cut your jacket open instead!"

Marise froze, her eyes trained on Mei. "No. No, no, no. I do refuse. And I refuse to let you come near me. You killed Yamato and Amari, not me!"

"Marise, if there's nothing to hide, then there's no reason to refuse." Haru sighed, "Just open your jacket."

** _I'LL WHIP YOU INTO SHAPE!_ **

"I said I refuse, so fucking listen to me!" Marise suddenly screamed, "You and the bitch just need to shut up or I'll tear you a goddamn new one."

"M-Marise!" Haru stammered. In her sudden excitement, Marise was now reeling, sweat forming even faster. Her face was going red and Haru worried that she might pass out.

"Shut up. Shut up, you idiot." Marise grabbed her podium to stabilise herself. "Shut up."

_Rebuttal Showdown!  
Truth Bullet: Monokuma's Motive_

MARISE: I've never killed anyone.  
MARISE: So I can't possibly have an M.O.  
MARISE: Assuming that I did it because I wear black hair ties.  
MARISE: That's beyond idiocy!  
MARISE: All of your evidence is circumstantial.  
MARISE: And I'm not here for your bullshit.  
MARISE: I'm a writer, not a killer.  
MARISE: And I'm not hiding anything.  
MARISE: Why the fuck would I do any of this?  
MARISE: Who the hell do you think I am?

_Advance!_

HARU: You're not a killer. Or at least, you weren't.  
HARU: I'll give you that much.  
HARU: However you are also a writer, yes. And specifically...  
HARU: You specialise in murder mysteries.  
MARISE: You're kidding.  
MARISE: Because I write about murders you think I killed Yamato and Amari?  
MARISE: That's your reasoning?  
MARISE: Alright, emo loser, listen up.  
MARISE: Have you ever played a song with the word 'death' in it?  
MARISE: Does that mean you murder people?  
MARISE: Maybe it was you and you beat Yamato over and over with your bow.  
MARISE: That sounds about as reasonable as what you're claiming!  
_MARISE: Besides, I was nowhere near the fucking Observatory._  
MARISE: A scrap of fabric isn't gonna prove that.  
MARISE: So give me better evidence!

"I'll cut through those words!" Haru lifted his head to look at the ceiling. He almost felt like giving up and admitting defeat. "Marise. Remember how I said it was odd that there was no snow in the Observatory? There's a simple solution to that. Your drought melted it."

"You're fucking kidding me." She glared at him, "That's it, huh? That's what you're gonna say? I'm not going to accept this."

"Interesting word choice, Marise." Yukari noted, "But you don't look finished yet."

"Fucking bingo, bow bitch." She spat.

_Nonstop Debate!  
Truth Bullet: State of the Observatory_

MARISE: Ha. So there was no snow in the Observatory?  
MARISE: Yamato's pitiful blizzard didn't do its job?  
MARISE: Maybe it just melted because the motive ended.  
MARISE: Maybe it was you, Haru. Your sun shower did it.  
MARISE: Maybe more rain melted it. Like Keroko's.  
MARISE: Or even! It just melted before you got there.  
SHIGERU: No, no. Snow does not melt that fast.  
SHIGERU: I'd know because I also had a snow-related condition.  
_MARISE: None of this means that I was there!_  
MARISE: Maybe Shohei's lightning cause a fire!  
YUKARI: Your fever must be making you quite deluded to think that...

"Your story is over!" Haru bared his teeth in emotional pain, "The drought melted the snow. There was nothing in the Observatory but water and sand. No snow from Yamato. No mud from the sand mixing with the rain. No scorch marks from lightning. The snow and the sand had settled and then the snow melted. It's as simple as that."

Marise didn't respond and Mei looked to Haru. In approval, he nodded and Mei bowed slightly before drawing her wakizashi and advancing. Marise suddenly screamed loudly, pained, and her eyes went wide, "NO! STAY AWAY FROM ME, YOU DEVIL!"

Mei frowned and began to move faster, but a flash of black cut through the air with a crack and the ninja stumbled back with a yelp. It had been so quick, but Marise held in her hand a bullwhip. She was panting heavily and swung it at Mei again, greeting by another yelp.

"Stop that!" Kouki cried out as it happened once more. "Marise! Stop!"

"Oh, fuck... Fuck this." Shohei muttered, paralysed.

As Marise's arm raised again, a voice cut through, "That's quite enough." Tendrils of red smoke held her arm firmly in place and Yukari stood. Haru almost hadn't recognised her voice. He'd never heard such anger in it before.

Marise's looked like a scared animal, tears and sweat streaming down her face. "No... No! Get the devil away from me! Get her away!"

"Haru. The fever was the cause of this murder. Use that information and end this pitiful display." Yukari grumbled.

_Panic Talk Action!_

"Stay away! Stay away!"  
"I said stay away!"  
"Let me go."  
"Let me leave!"  
"I need to escape..."  
"I can't be here with her."  
"I can't... I can't!"

_AAA AAAA A C AA AAA C BAA A AAAB AA ABAA_

"I can't stay here..."  
"I can't do this."  
"She's going to kill me."  
"I'm going to die!"  
"Anything but her..."  
"I'd rather kill myself..."  
"Just let me go!"

_AAA AAAA AA BA BAB AA C BAB AA B AB_

"Please, please, please."  
"I can't keep going..."  
"Everything is wrong."  
"Why is she here..."  
"How did she get in..."  
"I thought... I thought..."  
"I thought the devil couldn't chase me here!"

_ABBA ABAA A AB AAA A C BAB AA ABAA ABAA C BB A_

"Why is the devil here..?"

**HAL LUCI NATI ONS**

"It's time to finish this!" Haru gripped his head, "Marise, your mother isn't here. She never was. Mei was in the Arboretum when you killed Yamato and Amari... And you mistook her for your mother then just as you have now."

"Wh... What?" Marise turned to Haru, tears still falling. "Mother... She... She's not... here?"

"You're sick. You should have looked for help. If you had, maybe this wouldn't have happened." Haru bit his lip so hard, he could taste the metallic tang of blood.

Marise stared in shock and then turned back to Mei, "Oh... Fuck me, huh? I tried so hard to keep my composure... I tried my fucking best! And then you had to come at me just like she used to... You..."

"Kita?" Mei tilted her head. There was a small cut on her cheek from where one of the strikes of the whip landed. "When did you snap out of it before? When you killed Yukimura and Hoshino."

"When? Haha, right after I hit Amari." Her laugh was weak. It was one of defeat, "But it was too late to go back, so I whipped that circus clown like the animal he was. I whipped him and whipped him until he almost passed out. He was too weak to stop me."

"She's still suffering from delusions. It's best you end this as soon as possible, Haru." Yukari muttered, her eyes still trained on Marise.

"I understand," Haru responded simply. "I'm sorry, Marise. But it's time the truth, your truth, came out."

_Closing Argument.  
_ _Start!_

"The roots of this case are buried deep in Marise's past. Psychologically, she had been wounded by years of abuse. Her mother carried a bullwhip and would constantly strike Marise with it until Marise managed to run away, taking the bullwhip with her. Cut to now, here in the shelter. Monokuma's motive was specifically designed to hit each person the hardest possible. In Marise's case, she was struck with a drought that eventually gave her a fever and made her hallucinate. While Yukari, who was suppressing the motive, was in the Blue Hallway, Marise left the Red Hallway and went down to the lower third level, perhaps to get away from everything. In the Arboretum she saw Mei, but in her deluded haze caused by her fever, she saw her mother instead and began to panic. She ran to the Observatory, where Amari and Yamato were and, incapable of rational thought, she began to spin the telescope. Due to the endorphins and her own personal strength from using a whip, she was able to create enough momentum to at least knock someone out. Confused, Yamato must have come over and, realising that Marise was trying to hit him, Amari knocked him out of the way only to get hit herself. However, Mei had been watching through the snow and sand and Amari knew this. Before she went in, Amari told Mei to get help, thinking that she could hold off Marise until then. Snapping back to her sense, Marise realised that she couldn't stop there or Yamato's testimony would ruin her. Still foggy from the fever, I think Marise also thought that escaping the shelter meant escaping her mother. While he was stunned over Amari protecting him, Marise took out her whip and began to strike Yamato. She hit him until he was extremely weak and unable to defend himself and then she kicked him in the chest, knocking him over. On the ground, Marise wrapped her whip around his neck, strangling him. With Yamato dead, the motive stopped. This is when we were alerted that something was wrong. Running out of time, Marise took a shard of glass from the telescope and stomped on Amari's neck, crushing her trachea and causing her to suffocate. She stabbed the corpse to make it look as if Amari had been stabbed. She then cut out one of her hair ties to make it seem like Mei had been there and threw the glass into the telescope. She grabbed a vine from the Arboretum and threw it in to throw suspicion away from her whip. She hid in the Arboretum, setting traps until she knew it was safe to go back up. She made it back to her room to get another hair tie and then joined the rest of us in discovering the bodies."

"With all of this, can you really claim that it wasn't you? There's no alternative, is there, Marise Kita, the Ultimate Mystery Novelist!" Finally, Marise's limbs went limp and, as the smoke retreated, she stood there for a second before folding her arms and looking away. There was nothing left to say.

Marise's breathing was rough and ragged, but she held her position. There would be no satisfaction from a victory in the trial ground. Only grief.

"Well, Monokuma?" The one to break the silence was Kanna, "Is Marise the Blackened?"

"That's right!" He shouted with glee. Finally, Marise opened her eyes again and they went wide as her legs buckled underneath her and she collapsed onto her hands and knees, "Poor Marise. Looks like the motive touched a little too close to home."

Marise weakly lifted her head, "Shut up... Loser bear."

"I know what happens next. I know... But..." Kouki's voice held more emotion than her face as she blankly stared at Marise, the faintest traces of deep sorrow in her eyes, "Marise is sick..."

Yukari moved forward, toward the novelist and Marise let out a noise that was half snort, half cough, "Ha. Are you going to chastise me now like you did with Rikuto and Ami? Tell me how killing is wrong or how I should've been stronger? C'mon, bow bitch. Give me your worst."

"No. You're stubborn and there's no fixing that. All you did was be yourself, right, Marise?" Yukari stared down at the frail-looking girl.

"Yeah. That's right." She grit her teeth, averting her gaze, "Reprehensible, huh? You must find so much fucking glee in--"

"You're a liar, Marise." Yukari sighed and extended her hand to help Marise up, "You are stubborn. Incredibly stubborn. Instead of accepting what really happened, you'll latch on to whatever I feed you. Why not just accept that you made a mistake? I understand why you didn't and why you never would have, but if you came to me, I could have cured your fever. It would have taken time, but I could have done it. But you must know the consequences of expectation and action very well, yourself."

Marise grabbed onto Yukari's hand and pulled herself up, staggering a bit. Then she narrowed her eyes, "Will you really let me die? A deluded, ill, weak child? I suppose you must, huh? After all, if I live, you die."

"The vote has already been accepted, Marise." Haru turned his head, "It's just the way things are to go now. Some holes we can't climb out of. Some despair is too dark to chase away."

"I wish you all were dead!" She suddenly snapped, "Each and every one of you! If you weren't there, Yukari, Shohei's head would have been smashed in. And if Haru wasn't there, I could have easily picked off Kouki when she got hit. Worst of all... Worst of all... You damn, fucking idiot, Mei! If you hadn't kept Shigeru in the Arboretum, I could have killed Keroko easily. No one expected me to be the Blackened and that was my advantage. Not even Yukari knew at first... I had it made."

Shigeru's eyes widened, "How can you... How!? How can you say that?"

Setsuka softly laughed, "Is it fever or chill? Kuku..." On her shoulder, now, Niseko hugged herself tightly.

"Braindead bastards." With a flick of her wrist, Mei yelped again and as Yukari raised a hand to stop Marise, the novelist's shoe hit her face, "What's wrong, Yukari? Still slow after the motive?"

She grinned as she continued to strike Mei. Contrary to her high body temperature, there was no warmth in her eyes. With a yell, Kanna kicked off of the ground straight into Mei, knocking her out of the way of Marise's next lash. In the moment of confusion, Shigeru grabbed her wrist and pulled her over her podium as Keroko tongue snapped out and wrapped around Marise's legs to prevent her from kicking.

Kanna sat up with Mei, who could only stare, bleeding from many different cuts. "What the hell, Marise!?"

She giggled from her compromised position, "A real shame I can't kill you with lashes alone. Just... Once... More." Between gritted teeth, she managed to slip an arm from Shigeru's grasp and reared her hand back, smacking Shigeru in the cheek with a dull thud. Instead of going for Keroko, though, she turned her head with an egotistical attitude, lashing her whip once more, "Wake up, bitch."

When had he fallen asleep? Perhaps during the recap? Regardless, Shohei's eyes snapped open as he howled like an injured wolf. Grabbing his left arm, which had been hit, he was frozen in pain and confusion.

"This is... This is insanity." Kouki gripped her podium tightly, "Someone stop this!"

Setsuka extended both arms in a curtsey and ten wires shot out from the momentum, tangling Marise who coughed as she struggled. Amidst the unexpected encounter, Niseko had already made her way over, tying knots until Marise couldn't move, "Kukuku..."

With an odd expression, one Haru'd never seen before, Yukari stepped over Marise and lifted up Shohei, who was bleeding now. Marise's skill with the whip was that so she could draw blood in one hit... It was frightening.

Shohei, standing now, spat, "Fucking hell, I know I have a lot of the b-brown palette going on, but I didn't think you'd mistake m-me for a mule and whip me..."

"You're a fool. You should be dead, Shohei." Marise growled, struggling against her bonds.

No one seemed to know what to do, Haru realised. Kouki was staring absentmindedly into her podium, Kanna still held onto Mei, who was quivering ever so slightly, Keroko had drawn her tongue back in, but her eyes sparkled with tears, Shigeru had backed up now, blood dripping from his mouth, Setsuka and Niseko held tightly onto the wires trapping Marise, and Shohei simultaneously looked frightened and disappointed. Even Yukari stood, her icy eyes clouded by some, unplaceable, negative emotion.

Finally, Haru spoke, hatred burning in his orange eyes. It was a hatred he'd long forgotten, resurfacing after many years of suppression, "Just die already, Marise."

The room was silent. A minute that felt like an eternity passed until finally, "Well, that was sure entertaining. But finally, we can have an execution that is not just fun for me but totally justifiable to you lot! Puhuhuhu! Now then, I've prepared a very special punishment for Marise Kita, the Ultimate Mystery Novelist!"

Setsuka released the bonds. Marise was in Monokuma's paws now.

One Little Author Left All Alone - Marise Kita - Ultimate Mystery Novelist

Marise found herself in a pitch-black room. In one hand she held a candle and in the other, a match. Quickly lighting it, she tossed aside the match as, all around her, five red eyes glowed in the darkness. This wasn't a story, it was a game, she realised as one stepped forward. Without light, she was unprepared for what was to come as she suddenly felt something fall over her body and tighten around her. A lasso. Above her, an ornate chandelier flickered to life and she saw the perpetrator, one that she'd expected. A Monokuma wearing an apron and a frilly headband held the other end of the rope. Three more surrounded her, a soldier, a priest, and a rather comical Monokuma with lipstick and a red dress. Respectively, they held a wrench, a pipe, and the dreaded candlestick. Wrong medium, Marise thought, just as the pipe smacked her arm. She struggled against the rope as the various familiar weapons struck her over and over. She grinned through the pain, used to such abuse, until she felt her bonds loosen. With hardly a care for why she took the opportunity to smack back all three Monokumas with the candle she held. Turning her head back, she saw why the rope had loosened. A very extravagant Monokuma, decked out in scarves and furs and a large floppy hat, had stabbed the maid Monokuma through the chest with a knife. Just as she'd noticed it, though, the maid threw the rope over the chandelier before crumpling to the ground and the other, Marise had no name for it other than Peacock, scrambled to the other side to catch it. Too late, she realised, what exactly Peacock was doing until the loop slid up to her neck. Lifting her head, she quickly dropped the candle and grabbed onto the rope just as she lifted into the air. Her whole body trembled at the strength it took to prevent the noose from crushing her neck. Through the fever, she could feel her body quickly losing feeling, but she held on firmly with one arm as she picked at the knot with her other. Of course, her downfall in each situation had been her slow perception, her mind foggy with illness. One of the character Monokumas had been missing and, just as she felt the knot slip, she heard several loud bangs and pain, shooting through her arm forced her to release her grip on the rope and she tumbled down, her weight swinging her limp body as the chandelier went out, the only source of light the quickly dying candle. All six Monokuma stood in a line until the final one, the professor, blew out the candle.

Execution: Executed.

\---

\---

Haru felt nothing. He wondered if he should have regretted what he said, but the grip of despair on his mind and heart was too great. Watching the people he'd grown close to be tortured like that and the betrayal from someone he thought he knew... It was too much. Monokuma said nothing as he slid out of the chair and vanished behind it.

As Haru stared at the screen, a shuffling of footsteps near him caught his attention as he watched Kouki leave toward the elevator without a word. With her usual soft laughter, Setsuka followed, Niseko in pursuit. No one made a move to stop them. Only Keroko let out a soft, weak, "...Kero...?"

As she heard it, Niseko turned before Setsuka crouched down and grabbed her hand like a toddler, addressing the group, "Everyone! Farewell." And then the pair and Kouki vanished, obscured by the doors.

"I've never heard words so crushing from you before, Haru... Not even when you warned me about Riku. Even if not directed at me, your words had a power that made even I want to give up," Shigeru dejectedly placed his arms on the podium he was near, Marise's.

"That tone. It was different from Yumekuu but my head felt similar hearing it." Mei admitted, "Are you, too, a hypnotist?"

When no one answered, Mei softly sighed. Kanna stood back up, seeing that Mei was somewhat okay and returned to his own position, sadly looking at a tear on his shoulder.

Shohei looked at Yukari expectantly but Yukari merely stared at Haru in turn. The barista then muttered, "Wh-What now? We'll go back upstairs... A new f-floor will have opened up. Th-Three lockers will be unlocked... And then w-we'll repeat everything as a new motive comes up."

"What happened to Marise?" Kanna asked nobody in particular. He was covering his nose and mouth with his cape, but his eyes were wide and full of frustration and perhaps fear.

"That was no result of any fever I have seen," Mei added, wiping blood off of her forehead. "Kita was... so angry. She called me a devil, but she was not calling me a devil. She thought I was somebody else."

"One of those was an excuse. An act. A murderous intent or fear of illusory phantoms. But... Even I am having trouble discerning which was which." Yukari sat on the edge of her podium.

"How about you, Nagakage? You are also acting strangely." Mei noted, motioning toward the psychoanalyst, "Where are your tricks? Where is your confidence?"

"What, am I the nogitsune, now?" Yukari smirked at Mei who flinched in surprise, "I thought that was Haru!"

"Er, perhaps you are both nogitsune. Or perhaps you are a bake-danuki." Mei folded her arms, looking very confused.

"Aw, I think I prefer the fox, love." Yukari dropped down to her feet and her gaze circled around the room. When she met Haru's eyes, she stopped. "Letting your hatred out on Marise like that, Haru... Hm. I wonder whether that was the right choice or not. I suppose we'll see how you feel tomorrow?"

"What do you mean?" Haru blinked, tilting his head.

"Really? No expletive this time? I mean if you cleansed yourself of the unnecessary negativity that's been building up inside of you." Yukari pursed her lips and turned to Kanna, who was next to Haru and herself, "You lost something you held very dear to your heart today. But you are strong. You wouldn't be who you are now if you weren't."

"That sounds like something Amari herself would say to me." Kanna scratched his head, "That's right. Amari wouldn't want me to give up and I don't want that either. There are still things I have to do."

"Not all foxes are bad, Mei." Yukari said to the girl who stood next to her, "Because you call it a nogitsune, you already know that, don't you? A kitsune is very different than a nogitsune because a nogitsune has no order. No sense of right and wrong. But you are a clever fox, full of tricks of your own. I'd never once mistake you for a nogitsune."

"I am no fox," Mei said, very simply.

"Do you ever wish you could hear your name again, Keroko? I can tell your life has not been any easier before this point. Befriending Marise only to have this happen... Thinking that perhaps Niseko was alright only for Setsuka to appear. How can you still have a pure white heart?" Yukari shook her head, frowning, "How can someone go through so much and still come out like you?"

"Kero. Kero... Ko re koko. Kero ko reko ko" Keroko looked at Yukari and rose her hand, her fingers forming a strange L. She frowned at it for a moment before pressing her index finger down to give a thumbs up.

"Now, now. I must ask just what you are doing Yukari? I feel as though you are trying to gauge everyone's feelings toward you, but to what end?" Shigeru spoke as her gaze traveled to him. "What do you hope to gain?"

"If I told you now, it would make the future pointless. The future nor the past should ever be discarded. In the past lies those who we live for and in the future lies that which we fight for." Yukari answered, "You have not and never will forget those you've lost in your life, will you, Shigeru?"

"I will not. Not ever." He turned to the side.

"Good. Finally... Shohei." She walked up to the barista who looked back at her with eyes full of fatigue. Just what had they done to get so close, Haru wondered. "I must ask you once more. Do you trust me?"

Shohei adjusted his apron and answered, "I-It's more complicated than that. Forgiven you? No. I don't th-think anyone has honestly, truly f-forgiven you. But if I were to choose to ally with you or f-fight against you... I think I'd choose ally. W-Well, that's assuming that it'd be a fair fight if I chose fight and, well, er, um... Never mind."

"Well, I can't say I expected anything different." Yukari clapped her hands together and returned to the center of the room, "So, my next goal... Yes. It's been made clear to me. I am certain that it will be the final push... The final push toward what we need. None of you outright hate me anymore. At least not that I can tell. Dislike? Perhaps. Forgiven? Certainly not. The only ones who still despise me are Setsuka and Kouki, both of whom left. I can't say they are in the wrong but... Ah, maybe you all are the ones in the wrong. Kyahahaha!"

"The only thing that's making me question my hatred is that you're finally starting to let us understand you. I told you that I need a reason for why you killed Ami and Nori and I think I'm beginning to learn that reason. That's why..." Haru looked down for a second before meeting Yukari's gaze, "I know what your next goal is."

"I'd expect nothing less, Haru. Now then, loves. It's time we rested. No point in playing the bear's game now when we're at our limits, right?" Yukari smiled and without any further words, she strode to the elevator.


	5. Presentation

“...You... You fucking idiot! How could you? What on Earth would possess you to--”

“Never mind all that. What goes around comes around... Doesn’t it?”

\---  
  
\---

The group had shrunk considerably and Haru hung his head, barely having the energy to look anyone in the eye. The door to the hallway opened and, wearily, he looked up to see Kouki. They had finally gathered everyone to the Meeting Room to go over the locker contents.

“Right well, I first thought it would be appropriate to finally get Nori’s.” Kouki set a heavy stack of paper on the table. “I’m not sure about the specifics, but it looks like a bunch of notes and plans for his campaign and if he got elected. I’ll put them back in the locker if anyone wants to go over them at some point.”

“I can’t see how that will give us anything but more pain,” Shigeru scratched his head, “A look into Nori’s mind. A glimpse into the deceased...”

“Well, maybe not now, but this... This seems really important.” Kouki set an envelope on the table. One side read ‘Amari Hoshino’. “It’s a letter to Amari. I already read it and... Well... Just look at it yourselves.”

Kanna opened the envelope and began to read out loud,

“Dear Amari,

How have you been? I’m sorry that I haven’t been able to talk to you very often. They’re keeping me really busy and the labs and stuff. There’s just something I’ve really needed to tell you. Hope’s Peak Academy has been trying to keep it a secret but... I don’t want you to feel like you’ve been pushed into something you don’t want to be a part of. We don’t have much time left and the officials here are in a rush. America has already begun to utilise some of the shelters they built and we’ve gotten into contact with Hope’s Peak. I personally don’t agree with it, but apparently, Ultimates are prioritised over civilians. They’re going to bring you guys to a shelter, a handful at a time. I got a glimpse of the roster and you’re in that first group. I don’t see any harm in it, but if you don’t want to, go straight to the higher-ups. Just, one other thing about it. There are three others in your class who were picked. Shigeru Fujioka, Mei Meiyo, and Kanna. I figured I’d tell you about Kanna, at least. I know that there’s no chance that you’ll back out after learning that Kanna is involved but I still wanted to warn you. If something happens, something unpredictable, there’s no saying what might happen. The shelters aren’t enough to save the whole human race. If the worst happens, are you prepared to help rebuild the world? That’s what Hope’s Peak is pushing you into. As a heads up, with the limited time, I think that this might be my last letter to you. I’d wish for nothing more than to join you, Amari, but my job is clear. And I know that you’ll never forgive yourself so I am officially relieving you of your duty. Amari Hoshino, myself and my family are no longer your clients. Please don’t blame yourself.

\- Rika”

By the end, Kanna’s face held a very different emotion than his voice. He’d managed to keep calm through it despite his pale complexion going even whiter, but once he read the final word, his hand dropped. “Amari... Couldn’t have remembered this letter. The mastermind... was toying with us.”

“That solar flare. She brought it up to me. From what Rika is telling Amari, it sounds like it was due to happen soon. And that... We were meant to be brought here because of that, not for this... this game.” Haru grit his teeth, “Amari said that she was afraid it already happened and... I think she was right.”

“Who is Rika?” Niseko asked, sitting on the table in front of Setsuka. “Amari’s friend?”

“I met Rika a couple of times with Amari. Rika Asahibashi, the Ultimate Solar Physicist. She also attended my old school, Shindonia High. But we never really talked.” Kanna lowered his head, “Ah, I admit. With this knowledge, it’s impossible to know if we knew we were to be relocated, but it seems like Amari knew before us at the very least. She put herself in this danger... For my sake?”

“Consider the alternative. Being sizzled up in a storm of fire.” Yukari shook her head, “However, I have tested the limits of this shelter and I’m sure that you all have assumed by now that I cannot reach the outside. I, too, have no way of knowing what has happened out there.”

“Why don’t you try harder then?” Kouki hissed, her glare piercing into Yukari, and Haru raised a hand, wincing slightly.

“W-With all due respect, Yukari...” Shohei trailed off for a moment, “S-Say that the worst has happened... E-Everyone else would be dead... Right?”

“That is the implication, yes.” She answered simply.

“C-Can we... Can we really rebuild the world? I-I might have been able to believe it b-before this killing game started but... But...” Shohei shook his head, grabbing the edge of the table to steady himself, “But... Now... Seven of us a-are dead. Nine of us are left... This killing g-game isn’t gonna stop as much as I want it to and... And... Oh fuck... I think I’m going to pass out.”

“No, no, no. Don’t do that!” Yukari folded her arms and a tendril of the smoke whipped across Shohei’s face who shuddered violently, “There is something. Shigeru, with the letter from Rika read, do you think Nori’s notes are so useless?”

“Ah! Of course, they’re practically a blueprint. That’s what you mean, no?” Shigeru suddenly grinned, “Right, right. We don’t need to lose hope just yet. Our first order of business is stopping this killing game.”

“This is an impossibility. The game is inevitable. How shall you advocate we cease the misfortune of demise?” Setsuka’s body was very still and it unnerved Shigeru.

“First, let us see the rest,” Mei frowned and looked at Kouki, “Kita and Yukimura. What did they possess?”

“If it wasn’t a belonging of hers, I’d rip up Marise’s. Murder plans. I have no doubt they were for her books but... I’d be a fool to not believe the mastermind put them here to give us ideas. Just like the File Room.” Kouki shut her eyes as she threw a binder onto the table.

“I am still confused about Kita...” Mei tilted her head, “How can someone change so quickly?”

She hadn’t croaked once, so when Keroko’s tongue lashed across the table onto the binder, Shohei jumped and nearly fell out of his seat, met with a heavy sigh, “I feel as though I am babysitting you, Shohei.”

He averted his gaze away from Yukari, “S-Sorry...”

“We can talk about Marise later. What was in Yamato’s locker?” Haru looked back at Kouki, frowning.

She set the last thing on the table. It looked like some sort of program for a show. “I don’t understand it. There must be something I’m missing.” Kouki sighed as Haru took the program.

He opened it, scanning the words as quickly as he could. “...Hang on. I remember this. Yamato invited our class to a show one time. This was it. This was the show I saw. I remember it quite well because Yamato wasn’t just the ringmaster, he was doing his own act and...”

Kouki blinked as he trailed off, “Haru..?”

“Is it possible at all that these locker contents can be changed? Because this memory... It wouldn’t hurt unless it were under these exact circumstances.” Haru stared at the table, his head feeling light, “Before he was a ringmaster, Yamato was... Yamato was a tamer. And he died...”

Haru stood up, feeling like he might pass out if he didn’t move. Something wrapped around his hand and he turned to see Keroko’s tongue, stabilising him, “Kero kero ko kero ko ko reko ko.”

“She says that what you’re feeling right now is the exact reason that was there. And I want to point out the possibility that if Yamato were to be the Blackened, I think that program would fit very nicely in the mastermind’s agenda.” Yukari smirked, moving the program closer to her and scanning through it, “It must’ve been quite the show, though, yes?”

“If that’s it for the locker items... I think it’s time for you to make your report, Shohei.” Kanna turned toward the barista, his arms folded under his cape that was held over his body. “About what we found in the Observatory.”

“Th-That’s right... I was gonna mention it before b-but Kanna said it had no relevance to the case and I a-agreed with him and... Oh.” Shohei reached underneath his apron and pulled out a coffee filter wrapped around something small, “I-I don’t exactly have an evidence bag... Ah- I’m j-just gonna bite the bullet... It’s a bullet.”

He unwrapped the tiny object and let it roll on the table. There was a stunned silence before Kanna picked up, “It’s clean and it was embedded in a wall. Neither Amari nor Yamato had any gun wounds and we found no guns, so we surmised that it was irrelevant to the case at hand. However, the fact that there was a bullet in the Observatory? Probably important.”

“I-I doubt it was part of the decor,” Shohei added, weakly smiling. He wrapped the bullet back up and stuffed it back into his pocket. “Y-Y’know... Monokuma hasn’t come yet...”

“Well, I was just being quiet! I figured you all would let me know when you were ready for more surprises!” Monokuma’s voice was quickly traced to a corner of the room, in front of the Storage Room door. “So, of course, you can go further down... Or you could stay here! It’s all up to you!”

“An exit is illusory. Yet in illusion may we find allusions. A trip is not peripheral to rest.” Setsuka giggled, her shoulders shaking softly as she did. “Everyone! Farewell. Come, Niseko.”

The doll maker stood up and strode out of the room, her skirt and hair billowing behind her, looking quite ominous.

“I can see she doesn’t want to take part in our explorations or investigations anymore. I suppose we’ll just have to work with that. Everything is... So lonely now,” Kanna looked down, “Shigeru, Mei, and I... Shohei and Kouki... The rest of your partners are dead now, Haru and you would’ve been with Setsuka, Keroko, but... Ah. I can join either of you.”

“And I’ll join the other.” Yukari shrugged. “So who shall it be? I have no strong feelings if someone wants to decide.”

“Kero?” Keroko tilted her head at Yukari and the psychoanalyst grinned a devilish smile. “Ko...”

“You and Yukari, then? Alright Haru, I suppose we’re together.” Kanna worriedly glanced at Yukari and then to Haru.

“Kyahahahahaha! Alright then! This should be fun, yes?” Yukari clapped her hands together and Shigeru frowned, looking at Mei, who merely returned the glance. “It should make things easier to be able to speak freely, love.”

“Well, well. Setsuka has a head start on us, but I feel no need to rush. This isn’t like investigation. The only thing timing us is the idea of a motive, but that shouldn’t come until later, no?” Shigeru rose a finger and smiled, “While we walk... Mei. Do you know what makeup is?”

Shigeru led Mei toward the Auditorium door as she shook her head, confused. Rolling his eyes, Haru followed, Kanna closely behind. Shohei glanced at Kouki as she, too, stepped forward without a sound and he scrambled to catch up. Keroko glanced back at Yukari and jerked her head toward the others with a “Kero!” and hopped after them.

\---

As the elevator opened up, Shigeru shuddered. The next floor was somehow colder and bleaker than the first. He could hear machines coming from various directions and, hesitantly, he stepped out of the elevator. He was looking into a long hallway where he could see five doors. One was at the far end of the hall and there were two on the north wall and two on the south wall. “Four would be too easy, hm?”

“Let’s go, Fujioka!” Mei stated as she darted forward and immediately turned left to look at the first southbound door. “In here.”

Shigeru gave a nervous glance at the rest of the group before following Mei in.

Pipes were strewn across the walls, connecting to what looked to be water tanks and disappearing into the walls. There were some valves on some of the pipes and Shigeru scratched his head, “Best not to mess with-- Mei?”

Mei had little regard for the cosmetologist’s words as she struggled to turn one of them, “It is stuck. There is no moving this.” She turned around to face Shigeru, “What is this room? I do not understand.”

“It seems like a central room for the plumbing in the building. These pipes... Somehow, I imagine they pull water from the underground, dispense dirty water out, and carry water throughout the shelter. Everything relating to pipes and water in this place? It’ll be from here.” Shigeru explained though he wasn’t sure how much Mei understood.

“Plumbing... I do not know the meaning of that word, but it seems irrelevant. These tubes... The pipes. They carry water and, if the wheels turned, we could control it. However, they do not, so we cannot.” Mei brought a finger to her lip. “This room is here because it needs to be, unlike the File Room or the Supply Room... I see.”

“You know, you know, I really do think you’d look good wearing makeup once in a while, Mei. And, well, no one is more qualified than me to help you get started.” Shigeru winked and Mei stared back, oblivious. “Let’s say... Come to my room sometime after this exploration and I’ll let you see how you like it. Simple, no?”

“I... do not understand. However, I can feel your passion, so I shall accept your offer, Fujioka.” Mei bowed and Shigeru chuckled, adjusting his nametag.

\---

Keroko and Yukari had gone into the second southbound door. Keroko didn’t know it and neither did Shigeru nor Mei, but it was an extension of the Plumbing Room. A large boiler sat in the center of the room, pipes from the Plumbing Room and the upper floors winding around the room like thick snakes.

Keroko placed a gloved hand over the boiler, feeling heat radiating off of it and then turned to Yukari. “Kero... Kero ko kero.”

“That room,” Yukari pointed to where the Plumbing Room was, “Deals with the distribution of the water in this building. This room controls the temperature of said water. However, it does not function solely for that purpose, but also as a control for the temperature of the shelter as a whole.”

“Ke ke ro kero ko ke?” Keroko frowned at Yukari, rubbing one of her green buns. She still wasn’t sure how the psychoanalyst seemed to know all of this already and she was simply voicing her concerns.

“All I needed was a bit of a break. Now I’m back at full speed. I could investigate this entire floor at once if I needed to, but I do prefer to do things in-person.” Yukari smirked and folded her arms, “So my attention is focused on this room. That includes what this room connects to which is that room that Shigeru and Mei are in.”

“Kero ko.” Keroko squinted and crawled closer to Yukari.

“Because of the things I can do, naturally.” Yukari extended a hand to Keroko and, hesitantly, the herpetologist grabbed it, standing up, “I could learn your name if you wanted me to, Keroko. Do you still remember it?”

“Keroko.” She said and, although it seemed like she just croaked out ‘Keroko’, her words had a very different meaning. Keroko’s heart ached for people who could understand her which is why she had wanted to go with Yukari. “Kero... Ko reko ro ko kore kero.”

“I understand. Using your name now would be strange and pointless, yes? Well, then... Keroko. Is it so odd for me to say that I understand what you’ve experienced on a personal level?” Yukari’s smile was a little too smug for Keroko’s liking, but she was interested, “Surely you don’t believe I was born with the abilities I have. Risk and reward... Except things turned out much more negative for you.”

“Kero...” Keroko hung her head. A look of determination crossed her face. “Kero! Ro ke roko keroko ko!”

“That just speaks to who you are. You are a project of passion and the fact that you don’t regret it... It’s amazing to me. Certainly, you have desires, wishes of what you could’ve done, but you would never willingly choose to turn back the clock,” Yukari turned away, “Despite everything, I have many regrets. Perhaps it’s because I did not choose this life.”

“Ko?” Keroko tilted her head again.

“You are a herpetologist because you’ve always wanted to be, correct? But let’s just say... I wasn’t always set for psychology. Far from it.” Yukari looked back at Keroko who went back to crouching, “But now, I don’t like talking about myself. We’ve far overstepped our boundaries, haven’t we, love?”

Keroko let her tongue loll for a moment as she thought. For Yukari to compare herself to Keroko of all people... The herpetologist had just taken Yukari’s confidence and attitude for granted but perhaps... Just maybe... She was compensating for something.

\---

“After everything that’s happened, I’m feeling a bit sick,” Kouki admitted as she entered the first northbound door with Shohei, who glanced back over his shoulder.

“Th-That’s to be expected... I can’t help but worry. If everyone o-out there is gone... What about my family?” Shohei looked down, “My friends... The people I p-passed by every day. I can’t believe that everything is just... gone. W-We’ve lost so much in here. In c-class, Ami didn’t really t-talk to me much but... As you know, by th-the end of class, I was usually out cold but... Somehow I would always wake up just before the end of class. After s-seeing her at work here, I get the feeling it wasn’t j-just coincidence. Now she’s gone, I’m never going to see her again, and... Worst of all, I can’t believe I knew her for three years and never realised that sh-she was... I feel like such a piece of shit.”

“Ami wanted to keep her secret. I thought about it, too, after she died. How could we possibly have gone so long and never realised. But that was her conviction.” Kouki sighed and looked at the room they’d entered. Her hair was whipping around from the airflow of the room and, observing, she could see why. Large generators were whirring in action and wires fed into the ground from said generators. But instead of pausing to investigate, Kouki continued, “Rikuto was in our class, too, but he was never there. I wish he was. I would’ve liked to have gotten to know him better.”

“I just... I can’t believe everything i-is gone. Right now, down here, there’s no way we can know. Until w-we go up and see for ourselves, there’s no way we can know. So I c-can believe that it’s there. I can believe that there is something we are working toward.” Shohei muttered as he approached one of the generators. After the last motive, he was hesitant to touch anything relating to electricity, so he kept his arms by his side.

“The world’s like a cat, huh?” Kouki smiled softly, “I could get behind that. So... This is where we get the energy from in this place. A generator or energy room of some sort. I see you hesitating... Is something wrong?”

“O-Oh, I forgot... You stayed in your room for almost the entire motive and so did I... You remember when Haru mentioned lightning? I was chased around by lightning...” Shohei hugged himself as he said it, his hair standing on end in anticipation, “You know... I taunted th-the mastermind last time for the motive b-but... Couldn’t this motive have really killed us? If I’d gotten hit with that lightning... If Marise’s illness worsened... Maybe Shigeru or Yamato could have frozen to death!”

“I don’t think so. I think the mastermind must be monitoring us very closely. If someone got injured badly, they’d probably intervene, somehow. For instance, I don’t think the lightning _could’ve _hit you. That would be pretty much instant death.” Kouki scratched her shoulder, “If something heavy slammed into my head from the wind... I don’t really know what would have happened, but here’s what I think. Rule fourteen says ‘Monokuma will never directly commit a murder’ but... If we count this motive as not Monokuma, which is pushing it anyway, wouldn’t the mastermind become the Blackened? That’d be a quick way to end this game.”

“Wh-Which is why it wouldn’t have happened. I understand.” Shohei nodded. “Anyway, you said you f-feel sick? As in... under the weather?”

“...Alright.” Kouki glared incredulously, but her lips were curled up in a slight smile.

“When we’re done exploring, come to my room. I-I’ll make you something to settle your stomach.” Shohei nodded. “I-It’ll be fine. No p-poison involved.”

“You could’ve... not said that last part, Shohei.” Kouki laughed a bit but very quickly, her expression returned to a gloomy look, “Well, this room... It seems pretty boring to me. Everything on this floor so far has been dull and cold. I don’t like it one bit.”

She shuffled around before pulling out a vat of red paint. She opened it and stirred it with her finger before shouting and throwing the jar as hard as she could at the far wall. It shattered on impact, sending red flying everywhere and she grinned, “That’s good enough for now. It already looks better, doesn’t it?”

“I feel like I just dyed a little inside...” Shohei placed his hand over his heart and Kouki sighed, catching onto his pun. “Y-Yeah, alright. Maybe we should actually look through this room though... I don’t think we’ll find anything.”

“Might as well.” Kouki agreed, “Or I can at least clean up the glass, hehe...”

\---

Haru led the way into the second northbound door and paused when he saw a towering object waiting for him. Confused and curious, he approached it. “Kanna, do you know what this is?”

“Huh?” Kanna looked up quickly. He was staring at something in the palm of his hand, but Haru wasn’t gonna probe. He could tell how mournful Kanna felt. “I’m... not sure.”

There was a click as Kanna closed his hand and stuffed the object into his pocket. He then rounded the object before pausing, “Well, well. Not exactly answering our question, but fascinating nonetheless. Take a look, Haru.”

Kanna was holding a paper and he held it out for Haru to take. The top read ‘SET FOR RELOCATION’ and underneath that was a chart of some sort. “Name, talent, status. Four of them are blocked out...”

Haru scanned through the names. Surnames, in alphabetical order. As he read them out loud, he quickly understood why those specific names were blocked out. As the order is slightly different in Japanese, I have reordered them for your own convenience: Fujioka, BLOCK, Honda, Hoshino, Kanichi, Kita, BLOCK, Maekawa, Meiyo, Nagakage, BLOCK, BLOCK, Sasaki, Takanichi, Tanioto, Yukimura, Yumekuu.

“So the ones missing are Yudai, of course, Setsuka, and Keroko. But... There’s one extra name here.” Haru bit his lip, “Also, I suppose I just assumed Setsuka was her surname, but I guess I was wrong. Any ideas on who’s missing?”

“No, unfortunately. Not in the slightest. We can, however, assume that the first name is between F and H, the second between K and M, and the third and fourth between N and S. If we find any names that fit those specifications, perhaps we can make something of it,” Kanna explained, “Which rules out Suisei.”

“Suisei. That name you guys found way back in the Office Room? It sounds more like a given name anyway. Albeit, a really strange one.” Haru shook his head, “Yukari and Monokuma both have started to call Setsuka by a different name that starts with an ‘M’, but... Again, I think it’s a given name, not a surname.”

“In the end, the names of our friends are not the priority but rather... The fact that there’s an extra name here.” Kanna shut his eyes in thought, “However, we were so fixated on the names that, well, don’t you find it odd that the talents are all blocked out?”

“You’re right. That is really strange. Could someone here be lying about their talent? After all, only blocking out one would cast suspicion onto them.” Haru observed, tracing the lines with his finger.

“Finally, status. Each one of them says ‘RELOCATED’. That implies that this mysterious seventeenth person made it to the shelter with us. So then, why don’t we know who they are?” Kanna opened his eyes again and adjusted his collar, “The easy answer is that they are the mastermind but... Maybe that’s too easy. Perhaps it is a situation similar to Setsuka. They are hidden somewhere here and placing their name on this list is merely a way to fill us with doubt.”

“All good possibilities, I suppose,” Haru responded, “This thing, though...”

“I’m going to take a guess and say it’s an air purifier. It’s probably necessary in an underground shelter. As long as this is working, we won't suffocate.” Kanna leaned up against it and looked Haru in the eye, “Were you curious about what I was looking at?”

“Oh, er,” Haru looked around awkwardly, “A bit, yeah.”

Kanna sighed and pulled out a golden object. Haru recognised it as Amari’s pendant. “It’s actually a locket. It was very important to Amari.” Kanna opened it and showed Haru. Inside were two adults. Amari’s parents, he could assume.

He frowned and looked up at Kanna, “You’d know this better than anyone else here, wouldn’t you? Are either of Amari’s parents deceased?”

Kanna opened his mouth for a moment, frowning, before swallowing slightly and once more closing the locket, “Yes. That’s right. They both were. In fact, Amari would often tell me about nightmares she got. Nightmares of her mother’s death. What... would prompt you to ask me that, Haru?”

“It’s just... a suspicion, I guess.” Haru looked down and then decided to try and press his luck even further, “...What about you, Kanna?”

Kanna took a deep, shaky breath and stood up. His grip on the locket had tightened and he turned away, “I’m sorry, Haru. But I can’t answer that.”

Haru nodded slowly, “Alright.” Though he left it at that, he knew that Kanna’s uncomfortableness and sudden peak in panic and, above all, guilt, told him the answer. There was no denying what Yukari said anymore. The only question now was ‘why?’. Why did they all share this common thread? What was the mastermind’s aim?

He looked back at Kanna. Though his naturally pale complexion and makeup hid it well, Haru could swear that the prodigy’s face was a shade whiter than usual. So, was it a painful memory? Haru almost felt bad for making Kanna think about it and yet... “Guilt accompanies everyone in some capacity. Kanna... Am I a bad person for disregarding the guilt and regret in others?”

Kanna turned his head slowly, “You’ve been through dark times, haven’t you, Haru? That way you spoke to Marise just before her death... I could feel every bit of anger, hatred, and darkness seep out of those words. That command to die... The fact that something like that dwells in you, Haru... I think you know emotion too well and it’s numbed you. I don’t think that you are a bad person but you should... Be careful. Humans are more fragile than you’d think.”

\---

“Setsuka?” Niseko tilted her head, swaying from side to side, “What’s wrong?”

“Emotion..? Your ego should not accommodate such desideratum. Niseko, my child, why do you commence with such rise? You are merely porcelain and programming? Yet I do not recall such enterprise in crafting your coding.” Setsuka looked down at the doll, narrowing her eyes beneath the shadowy depths. “Have you assimilated the ordeals in which I was your narrator?”

“I dunno. The AI you gave me was not fully active when you were controlling me, but it wasn’t completely shut down. It is possible that I kept the experiences as data and that is affecting the AI.” Niseko answered. “You did not program growth into the AI. Maybe my coding was tampered with?”

“I am full of inquiries. For what justifications in desire has someone manipulated you?” Setsuka lowered her head, “This is not the stratagem I laid out. The frog...”

“I have feelings toward Keroko. But now she doesn’t like me anymore because she’s scared of you. I made a friend and now it’s gone. I think that makes me sad.” Niseko brought her hand to her mouth in thought, “Master, am I allowed to have emotions?”

“...What?” Setsuka stared ahead blankly.

“Am I allowed to be sad? Or to have my own bonds with people. Am I allowed to be a person even though I am an AI?” Niseko dropped her hands and looked at them.

“I do not possess this knowledge in this hour.” Setsuka turned away, “Do what you will. Bewilder me, my child. Kukuku...”

She stared at the room ahead. It was divided into two sections. The main room was full of breakers, switchboards, control panels and the like. The dollmaker approached one but realised before she even touched it that the cover was locked. She clicked one of the rings on her fingers against the metal and listened to the resounding noise.

Should someone break into one of these, what would happen? What would it manipulate in the shelter? As Setsuka pondered, Niseko waddled into the back room. Pegs stuck out of the walls and she quickly surmised that they likely once held key rings. Now, they were long gone.

With nothing else in the backroom, she returned back outside where Setsuka was testing the other covers. Of course, they were all similarly locked. The room was devoid of any use to the students and any clues.

Niseko sat on the ground, wiggling her stubby fingers one by one, “When you were me, you were hospitable to everyone. But I still remember that day... The one very quickly after you made me. The day you killed Renako. Except... Really, wasn’t it me who did it?”

“Ku?” Setsuka turned around again, “You are merely an addendum to my endeavors.”

“But if I’m an AI with a will of my own, could I have said no?” Niseko looked up at her master. Though her face showed nothing, something in her felt almost... panicked.

“Renako Fuyuizumi. Kukuku...” Setsuka giggled and then placed her hands together, “Do not forget, my child... Do not let it escape any part of your being. Despite any assay to divide us, you are still under my supremacy with no hope of a reprieve. You are in my image and, just so, you are I.”

Niseko paused for a moment and then met Setsuka’s gaze once more, returning the gesture, “I suppose in the end, it doesn’t matter! Because I am your tool. I’m only an AI, after all. Kukuku!”

Setsuka grinned. No matter what tampering was done, Niseko was hers and only hers. Master and child.

\---  


“Plumbing Room, Boiler Room, Generator Room, Purification Chamber, and Electrical Room. It is quite obvious what this floor is for, yes?” The group had met back up in the hallway in front of the elevator, including Setsuka and Niseko. Yukari gazed at the others one by one as she spoke, “Any clues..? How about you, Kanna?”

Kanna’s eyes shifted toward Haru and then back to Yukari. He seemed almost hesitant, which Kouki found odd as she trained her eyes on the paper he was holding, “Right. Purification Chamber, though? It was hardly a chamber of any sort.”

“‘Chamber’ sounds better and less repetitive than ‘room’, don’t you agree, love?” Yukari smirked and folded her arms, “Now then..?”

“A list of the students meant to be brought here. It’s fairly cut and dry except one thing.” He paused, “There are seventeen students on this list, not sixteen.”

“S-Seventeen?” Shohei repeated, “Th-That’s... weird. I assume it doesn’t say who..?”

“Any names we don’t know at this point were blocked out. Including Yudai, Setsuka, and Keroko.” Kanna glanced at Setsuka as he said her name, but she merely let out a soft laugh.

“Ah!” Mei suddenly snapped her head up, “I have been meaning to share this.”

She stuck her hands into her pocket and pulled out a tiny shovel before shaking her head and sticking it back in. After a bit of effort, she pulled out a paper and handed it to the person next to her, Shigeru. “What is this, what is this? Ah. Kanji.”

As Shigeru scanned them over, Mei spoke, “Sui. From Suisei. The reason it struck me as odd is on this paper. I have written down many kanji that can be read as sui, but the only one that makes sense is this one.” She pointed at one and Shigeru blinked, “This one is ‘Water’.”

“Water.” Kouki blinked, “Oh! I get it. ‘Sui’ for water, but it can also be read as ‘Mizu’. So then... Suisei and... Shimizu. You think that Suisei is Yudai’s real name?”

“That is correct. Once I figured that out, I went through the rest of Shimizu’s name.” She took the paper, flipped it, and returned it to Shigeru, “‘Shi’. Although it is rare, you can write ‘Shi’ with this kanji which can also be read as ‘Sei’. This gives us ‘Suisei’ from ‘Shimizu’. I assume that Shimizu’s true surname follows the same rules so... I wrote it. However, I do not know how to read it. Without a hint, it is unsolvable.”

“Still, this is an amazing revelation, Mei.” Kanna nodded, “Suisei is Yudai? However, now I wonder why we found that in the Office Room. Why did the mastermind feel the need to leave us this clue? Or is it even a clue?”

No one said anything, but finally receiving an answer to something lightened the air even just a bit. After a minute, Setsuka scooped up Niseko and hit the button to the elevator to return to the top floor.

With Setsuka's departure, the rest slowly followed, but Haru raised an arm, "Wait a second, Keroko." As he spoke, the frog girl turned her head to watch him with curious red eyes. "You were with Yukari so... I wanted to know if she said anything to you. Anything important... Or any hints."

She paused for a moment, scanning the ground in front of her, before smiling slightly with a curt, 'Ro.' and a shake of her head. Of course, this was a lie. Yukari had dropped many hints to the herpetologist but she wasn't sure if spilling them was such a good idea. People often came to Keroko with their secrets because she couldn't spill them and she'd figured that this was similar.

Haru, sensing that something was off, frowned. He then bit the inside of his cheek and continued, "She brought up a good point. You had made friends with Marise and Niseko, but one went off the deep end and the other was replaced. If I recall, you don't like Setsuka very much, right?"

She nodded slowly and then, after fumbling around with her fingers a bit, she held up one finger. Then she beckoned for the cellist to follow her and whipped her tongue to smack the elevator button. Hopping inside, she beckoned once more and Haru followed her in.

They stopped at the lower second floor and Haru followed closely behind, through the Office Room, Observation Room, File Room, and finally to the supply room. Keroko rifled through some of the drawers until she found a pencil and paper and began to write. Haru craned his neck to see and she lifted it up. It read, 'Hello, Haru.'

He blinked at Keroko. In her eyes sat a quiet sorrow and he wondered for a moment. "Keroko, you've obviously been through something. I can tell that at a glance. Yukari said that she could tell that your life hadn't been any easier before this and I'm inclined to agree. But, correct me if I'm wrong. The reason you don't talk about it is simply because you can't, right? But I'm patient. If you'll write to me, I'll read it."

She rubbed one of her buns and then nodded. It was strange, Haru thought. Something he'd never acknowledged before was her immature appearance. How she stood at the height of a toddler and had a round child-like face. Yet her rationality and that look in her eyes was a mark of experience. With this in mind, he watched as she began to write and he could almost feel the reminiscence in her eyes.

\---

She stood on wobbly legs, full of fatigue. This wasn't new to her but as she looked up at the people surrounding her, their expectant gazes, she felt her body seize up. Her eyes caught a pen hanging in the pocket of one of their shirts and she took a breath, preparing herself. It was all up to instinct and she let her tongue snap out, snagging the pen and pulling it until she held it between her lips.

For a moment they were stunned. For a moment there was silence. Then they all broke out, chattering. Her sensitive ears burned a bit, but she didn't mind. She was happy if she made them happy. But something was gnawing at her and she reached a hand out to grab the skirt of a nearby woman. The grip awkward due to her webbed fingers, she weakly pulled until the woman turned. "Is something wrong, Kero?"

'Kero' was what they called her. It was actually her that posed that idea. As a scientist, she enjoyed little things like code names. They would have been more than willing to use her real name but she didn't want that.

As she opened her mouth, she hesitated. The woman watched with a curious anticipation and finally, she spoke, or rather, tried to. An inhuman noise rumbled from her throat, not much more than a hoarse croak and, stunned, the woman took a step back turning her head to look at the others, "She can't talk!?"

A man stepped forward, the one who's pen she'd taken, and crouched down to look at her, "We have yet to do a scan. Kero, please say something."

She emitted another croak to no avail and shook her head, her green hair whipping around her face. He frowned and pulled out a notebook, flipping through pages and she sighed, dropping to the ground in a crouch. She found it easier than standing. Standing too long hurt as she was well aware.

Frustrated, the man grunted at another, "The thing is... No. No, no. Somebody go to the project head and tell them we need to call this study off immediately."

At this, she stood up again and grabbed his hand with a frantic croak. She didn't want them to stop their study of her. She knew that they wouldn't get another chance. She loved amphibians with all of her heart and if she was to be that bridge, nothing would make her happier. Someone like her... Someone who didn't fit in and didn't belong... This was all she had.

"Kero, please... You given more than enough. Hope's Peak cannot ask of any more. Maybe once upon a time, the school had darker, more sinister roots, but we have already skirted many moral issues with these tests and your consent is the only thing that's allowed us to. I fear that if we continue, this experiment is doomed to fail. So, not as a scientist, as a friend, I must ask that you, too, choose to withdraw. And if that is not what you're looking for, then as a fellow scientist on this project, I ask the same." He placed his other hand over hers.

She grit her teeth, torn by her options. Or maybe it was her lack of options. She grabbed his notebook from him and took the pen. With great effort, she managed to scribble down what loosely resembled writing, "What do I do now?"

She saw his expression darken at her sloppy handwriting and he looked back at her, "We'll have you join one of the classes. As the Super High School Level Herpetologist, like you wanted. Kero, I know that the title wasn't why you signed onto the project, but... It's all I can offer now. It's not nearly enough to make up for this but..."

She shook her head and frowned, a determined expression on her face. She opened her mouth, letting out another croak. And another. It wasn't a complete lost cause, she knew that. Finally, with great effort, like a child just learning to speak she managed something. "Ke... ro... Kero!"

She hopped in place excitedly with another "Kero!" and she saw the man chuckle softly. She could never mimic human speech, but her attempts to showed passion, which he admired. "So then, A..." He trailed off as she shook her head again with another croak. It would be far too much work to write down her name over and over again, especially with how hard it was to even hold a pen or pencil.

She brought a hand to her chest and dipped her head, "Kero...ko. Keroko."  
  


"Keroko? So then... You're giving yourself a new name? One you can actually say..." He looked at the ground, "Sacrificing even your name... This was really too much. We pushed you too far."

She grabbed his hand once more, "Kero."

\---

Keroko's hand hurt now and she dropped the pencil. Her handwriting was still sloppy, but as she recalled those words she had written back then, she could only chuckle at her progress. She turned back to Haru, but she couldn't read his face.

"So... That's why instead of just croaking, you actually manage to say 'Kero'. And your name... Couldn't he have just introduced you by that name?" Haru tilted his head but Keroko shook her head, "At the very least, what _is _your name?"

A sly expression crossed her face and she smiled, putting a finger to her lip. After all, the girl who kept secrets could also keep her own.

Without a single croak, the herpetologist smiled, waved, and hopped out of the Supply Room, leaving Haru alone. He sat for a moment, thinking about what he’d just learned. It hit him that, by now, he’d just taken Keroko’s existence for granted. One of Yukari’s cryptic comments once again rang in his head. ‘Things that were not meant to be.’ Could it be that Keroko only existed due to this experiment she described?

Stepping out of the Supply Room, he made his way upstairs. After all, another enigma lay in wait. If he could get her to share anything at all... Perhaps she held answers that no one else did. He made his way to the Red Hallway and paused. Neither Setsuka nor Niseko wore their school crest anywhere on their person. Looking around, there were only two crests unfamiliar to him. Making a quick judgment call, he chose the door that had four triangles cornering a central square. The square looked similar to the patterns on her dress and, indeed, this was the crest of Fukamori High School. Knocking on the door, Haru waited for a response.

The door opened and, at first, he didn’t see anyone. Looking down, however, he saw Niseko staring up at him, “Hello, Haru! Come on in!”

He followed Niseko in and, though Setsuka merely sat on her bed, her back turned to him, he took in the room first. He felt his heart begin to race as his eyes trailed up to a doll, hanging from the ceiling. He almost didn’t process the rest of the room as images of Marise’s final moments flashed in his mind and he suddenly felt very dizzy and sick.

“Ah! Haru!” Niseko cried out, “Master, master!”

He was vaguely aware of something holding him up. A hand on his back. And a quiet voice, “Is it in poor taste for your desire? Fear not, for the representation does not harbor any acrimony toward Miss Marise.” His vision clearing, he turned his head to see Setsuka, now behind him. Steadying himself, he watched as with a swipe of her hand, the rope snapped and the doll fell to the ground, “Relinquish it, Niseko.”

He stared at the lifeless doll as it was carried away. The blonde hair and lab coat... It must have meant something to Setsuka. Without looking at her, he muttered, “Is it Renako?”

“Renako Fuyuizumi..? Indeed you were of witness to Yukari and I... Yes. It is Renako. Even in this era do I hold such abhorrence that I shall kill her again and again. Renako Fuyuizumi deserves not even the peace of finality but rather the extremities of the underworld’s fires. And in life do I extend such extremities in such yearning that I may redirect such suffering unto the soul of Renako.” Setsuka walked back around to her bed, “Enlighten me, Haru. Why do you reveal yourself to I?”

“Every time I find an answer, another riddle pops up. This time, that riddle is you, Setsuka.” He answered. “I want to know if you know anything more than us.”

“Knowledge? You seek knowledge. You are apprised of the proposition that the mastermind holds us captive for a fair amount of ends. Alumni of Hope’s Peak Academy that have been robbed of kin and hold wisdom beyond their earthly years... Yes, careful observation has allowed me to conclude such a foreign ideal to be such a truth. As in the room where death stands firm, the File Room, holds many illustrious secrets, I found quite a many verifications to this claim. Kyouko, now, wasn’t it? Death to illness.”

“That’s... right.” He hesitated. “You found her in the File Room...”

“Kukuku... Takabira... is who is absent from me. Or rather, was once. I hold no more care in this world except repulsion for Renako Fuyuizumi.” Setsuka leaned forward, “Do you want to know a secret, Haru? I could not find some of the deceased. As is quite evident, Yudai Shimizu does not have any family in the File Room. Nor does Yukari, yet I infer that to be her own doing. And the frog, yes... I do not know which line to trace so I cannot find her heritage. Difficult for me to find was Maekawa. Yet, in the end, I succeeded.”

“Why was it hard to find?” Haru questioned, shifting uncomfortably.

“As if rustling had occurred, it was a misplaced file. I conclude that Kouki has searched through it as well. A fascinating child of the river... It seems not I was the only one observantly touched by change in recent light.” Setsuka giggled softly, “I feel that your confidant hides something under such blinding hatred. Like a beam of sunlight amidst the darkest nights, she directs such rage toward Yukari, such as do I. But to what end, I must wonder? Has Yukari so truly wronged her in such a realm as this or perhaps there is something else..? My antipathy toward the psychoanalyst originates in the heart of Renako Fuyuizumi. Yet, do the child of the river’s sentiments truly come from Yukari’s sins? I feel that she has held such enmity longer than suspected.”

He was a bit worried now, as Setsuka’s apparent dislike for people held no restrictions. Recalling how she struck Yukari, he now feared that Setsuka might turn that dislike to Kouki so he attempted to change the topic, “Niseko said that people called you a witch. That you lived in a doll paradise in the forest. Well, actually, you said that to me.”

“Yes, it was I.” Setsuka extended an arm and Niseko, who’d returned by now, hopped on. “A psuedo-paradise.”

  
  
“Master lived alone in the forest with just me and some other dolls,” Niseko added, placing her hands together.

“I fled from Fukamori and concluded in the forest.” Setsuka continued.

And like this, the two bounced off each other, “Master lived in the forest alone for a few years but she got nowhere with her education!”

“But a prestigious being took notice of my dark radiance and extended a summon to bring me to the school in which you have familiarities with.”

“Hope’s Peak Academy! But because Master had been away from school for a long time, she was put in the first-year class.”

“Yes.” Setsuka paused and then held up one of her ringed fingers, “However, that class... Something took hold of my curiosity and I assimilated a mystifying conclusion. Out of those that were present here, I do have faith in such a premise that perhaps the only first-year was Miss Marise.”

“...Huh?” Haru went over the students in Setsuka’s class. Marise, Keroko, and Yudai, wasn’t it? “What do you mean by that?”

“Easy! Yudai was a transfer student, remember? And he didn’t look nor act like a first-year. And after learning that Yudai’s actually not Yudai, well...” Niseko looked at Setsuka for a moment, “Master wonders if he was even a student at all.”

“What else would he be?” Haru narrowed his eyes.

“I do not possess that explanation at this time,” Setsuka answered.

“And Keroko was sometimes missing from class and all of that, so Master wonders why exactly that was the case. Maybe Keroko was only part of the class so that she could be kept somewhere.” Niseko continued, swaying from side to side. “Master didn’t like Keroko.”

“The frog is just a frog. Nothing more, nothing less.” Setsuka dipped her head, her grin plastered to her face, “What place is there for a frog in a school?”

With that, Haru felt chills run down his spine. The way Setsuka saw the people here. Perhaps they were all just dolls to her. Puppets to manipulate and move around as she sat fit. Suddenly, Niseko leapt from Setsuka’s arm to cling onto Haru’s neck. She pulled herself up to his shoulders and whispered, “If you want to leave, Master’s not gonna stop you. She doesn’t realise what people even are, y’know. She really is just a witch... the forest witch.”

Setsuka blinked as Niseko slid down Haru and climbed back onto the bed. The doll looked her maker in the eye and giggled. “Kukuku!”

\---

_Ding dong. Bing bong._

Shigeru looked toward the ceiling of the Meeting Room. He often came here to sit and think, but this time he was interrupted.

“Wow, I totally missed making a shelter-wide announcement last time. But this time? Puhuhuhu! I need you all to gather in the Auditorium, if you would. I’m asking very, very politely!”

The static crackled away and Shigeru stood up, sighing. The timing was right, after, for another motive. At least this time, he hadn’t woken up to a room of snow. Scratching his head, he sighed and headed for the Auditorium.

Being so close, the cosmetologist was one of the first to arrive. However, before even him was Kouki, who sat in the first row, hunched over as if she were sulking. Blinking, he made his way over without a second thought, “Kouki? Are you doing alright?”

“Huh?” The artist looked up at him with weary eyes. In her hands was a jar of paint and her entire left palm was stained. She then let out a small laugh, “No. No, I’m not. Shigeru, we’re here to get another motive, right? You know what that means, right?”

“You are saying ‘right’ an awful lot,” He observed, frowning. “But, ah...”

“It means that it’s going to happen again. We have nine people left, Shigeru. If one more person dies, our numbers will have been halved. After Marise, I can’t bear to think who might be the next one to snap...” Kouki then locked eyes with Shigeru, “What if it’s me?”

“Now, now, I would hope that you have the self-awareness to know whether or not you’re going to commit murder,” His frown grew deeper, “But if you are really so worried about what could happen, why not look for more ways to calm down. We already discussed that once you get out, you’ll look for your sister, right?”

“Who’s to say she’s even alive?” Kouki stared at the ground, “If that solar flare happened and this was supposed to be Japan’s big shelter, no one’s gonna be left.”

“That doesn’t mean that all hope is lost, however. Might I talk to you for a moment about something I like to call a little war in our minds? It has to do with emotion versus logic, okay?” Shigeru sat down next to Kouki, “If we look at cold, hard facts, there is no room for something like hope because we’ve effectively shut that out. Have you heard of cognitive reframing?”

“I don’t know. Maybe?” She didn’t look like she was trying very hard to remember and Shigeru sighed.

“Well, it’s a technique based in psychology that allows ourselves to change how a situation or something similar is viewed. If you told me your belief on something and I challenged it, this would be a step in cognitive reframing. If you end up with a different line of thought, then it is a success,” Shigeru patted her on the back, “And I want to go back to your earlier worry. You must have heard of a self-fulfilling prophecy, no?”

“I guess so.” Kouki barely reacted.

“If you are determined that you will become a murderer, then perhaps you will. But change your thinking and perhaps you are, instead, destined to not.” Shigeru gingerly placed a hand under her chin to lift her head up, “You need to have more faith in yourself.”

With a sense that he was being watched, Shigeru turned his head to see Yukari sitting behind them. When she caught Shigeru’s gaze, she smirked softly as the doors to the Auditorium opened, the rest of the students filing in.

Shigeru watched as Kanna was the last to choose a place and sit down. Reminded of just how torn up the prodigy was, he made a mental note to check in on him later. Of course, very quickly after, the air was filled with Monokuma’s maniacal laughter.

“Ahahahahahahahaha! Are y’all scared? Shaking and shivering in your boots? Well, have I got a treat for you. Now, you could categorise the last three motives as positive punishment, right?” Most of the students shared a common downcast expression as Monokuma continued, “Well, I’m going a completely different direction this time. Positive reinforcement.”

“That’s giving us motivation in the form of something we actually want,” Haru muttered, glancing at the ground, “So what is your motive?”

“Might I interrupt? I have been meaning to clarify such mysterious terms since the touch of the first motive reached my ears. After all, is it not negative reinforcement that which the predecessors demonstrated? Certainly I will not deny such claims that shadows of fear, wearing of the psyche, and capricious states of climate are unfavorable however... The allure is in halting the progress of such conditions. Therefore, your motives are thusly--”

“Shut up! I did not bring you back here to hear you babble on and on and on about stuff that no one cares about! I came here to deliver a motive.” Monokuma glared at Setsuka before clearing his throat and continuing as she softly giggled, “So I know you have noticed a little thingy in the room you’ve named... Oh, what was it... Right, the Office Room! A little somethin’ somethin’ like a computer?”

“Yes, yes. Kanna found it,” Shigeru motioned toward Kanna in the back who slowly lifted his head at the sound of his name.

“Right you are. So then, the motive this time is simple. If you kill someone, you get access to that computer. Upupu... The data can even be transferred to a laptop if you’d prefer something more... discreet. But the catch is this. If you get caught as the Blackened, all of the data is erased! By the way, did you know there’s a satellite in geocentric orbit that allows us to have perfect cloud connection despite anything that might happen here on Earth? I can guarantee you that you could find anything you wanted on that computer...” Monokuma grinned, “As for that catch, I suppose, to the Blackened, it really doesn’t matter. After all, if you’re caught, you die. Right?”

“Th-There’s no time limit this time?” Shohei frowned, raising a shaky finger.

“Nope! Take all of eternity if you want. Sorry, Miss Nagakage. Seems your services aren’t required this time.” Monokuma slyly glanced at Yukari who looked quite bored, twirling a lock of hair around her finger.

“It could still be a bluff.” Niseko folded her arms, sitting atop Setsuka’s shoulders.

“No, no, no. It’s not! You really can get any information you want. How’s this, Niseko. You name one person who’s been here in this shelter and I’ll give you a taste of what you could experience.” Monokuma drummed his claws on the podium, “Niseko, not Setsuka.”

“Umm... That’s a lot of pressure...” She looked down and then glanced at the others sitting. She saw some of their apprehensive stares and she knew exactly who Setsuka would say. But even if an AI is an AI, their intelligence is separate from their makers and as she locked eyes with Shigeru, she made her choice, “Rikuto.”

“Upupupupu... Rikuto Honda? Interesting choice. Alrighty then!” The screen descended and Monokuma tapped it and an image of Rikuto and someone who looked similar to him unmasked, albeit older, appeared. “You wanna know a fun fact about Rikuto Honda? I recall you asking, Kouki, how exactly someone here would know of the SRS if they weren’t related to the mastermind and Shohei gave you a very good answer. So, to expand, Junzou Honda, Rikuto Honda’s unfortunately deceased father, was one of the heads on the SRS project. While Rikuto himself had never been here prior to this event, he certainly knew it existed and he certainly had his own theories on why, exactly, he would be in the creation of his father. Have I missed anything? Nope, don’t think so!”

Kouki stood up, “That’s fine, then. You’ve made your demonstration but... If there’s no time limit, I doubt anyone will care enough. There are only two people here I’m worried about and it’ll be easy enough to keep an eye on them.”

“Maekawa, I do not understand. You have been acting strangely for a while now.” Mei tilted her head, but Kouki did not respond to her as, without even waiting for Monokuma, she strode toward the exit. Even Kanna, who’d been unresponsive for most of the explanation, looked surprised as she passed him.

“Er, right. Well anyway! I’ve made the motive very clear, I think. So! Do your worst, guys! Puhuhuhuhu!” With his laughter ringing in the air, he leapt behind the podium and vanished.

“Keroke koreko ko ko kero ko kereko ko kokeko.” Keroko stood up on the back of her seat to address the others.

“‘What worries me is how lax the motive is.’” Yukari translated, but added nothing more.

“Ko kero ko reko roko ko keroko kore reko ro roke koko keroko.” She continued with a very worried expression. She rubbed one of her buns as she looked toward Yukari.

“‘The only reason there’d be no time limit is if Monokuma is confident that something will already happen.’” Yukari glanced at the empty seat where Kouki once sat, “Yes. Kouki mentioned that there were only two people she was worried about. Care to harbor a guess, Setsuka?”

“You and I, naturally. Kukuku...” She answered, quite quickly.

“And yet, I can’t help but notice something. Setsuka, do you want to take a shot at that one, too?” Yukari smirked at the doll maker who stood up.

“Kouki Maekawa. In her footsteps once lay buoyancy. Now her footsteps lead immeasurably further with every passing heartbeat. Her recitations refer to those she does not find certification in and yet, is it not she who flees from all gatherings of us who remain?” Setsuka turned her head toward Niseko, “As if she does not desire for existence, she vanishes like a spectre. I fear Monokuma’s title has been invalidated. No longer this an inspiring force.”

“Very good. Now, because of your ceaseless chattering of topics no one wishes to hear, I do not doubt that everyone would unanimously agree that the biggest threat at the moment is you, Setsuka. And since you and I likely have much we’d like to keep hidden, this motive is targeted at us. Do you agree?” Yukari continued as Niseko nodded, “However, I care not for who you are or your secrets. Everything about you that poses any importance to me, I already know. So then, Setsuka. Are you curious enough about me that you would take this seriously? After all, I have just proved that you would be the top suspect in a murder at this time.”

“Perhaps someone will find security in your claims and take action in such security. You are a guileful creature, Yukari. Perchance this speech is part of your clockwork plan... Each word a cog... Each moment a tick.” Setsuka’s grin grew wider, “Remnants from the phantom that haunts you. Kukukukukuku! Everyone! This hour passes and a new one begins. With that, I bid you farewell. Come, Niseko!”

Setsuka curtsied before grabbing Niseko and bringing the doll in front of her, hugging her tightly to her chest. With long, purposeful steps, she quickly exited the Auditorium.

“Yes... Like clockwork. The time has never been more perfect for the final execution of what I have been building. This world... This place we call the SRS... It is merely a playground that the mastermind thinks they own. But I will wrestle that away from them.” Yukari turned to look at Haru, who had been very quiet since the motive had been revealed, “However, every kingdom requires a fitting ruler, doesn’t it, Haru? And I am not the one for that position. I daresay no one is.”

“If we get out, there are two things we might find. The first is that the outside world is exactly how we remember it. The second is that the solar flare really did occur and nothing, at least in Japan, is left.” Haru muttered, “Therefore, this ruler needs to be ready for the worst. Ready to rebuild everything that has been destroyed.”

“I have always worked alone. However, I can see it on all of your faces. The solution is not just one... ruler. But many. When we get out, we shall work together.” Mei nodded, placing a hand on her wakizashi, “But I wish for Maekawa and even Setsuka to join us. Is this an impossibility? Will Maekawa not join us as long as Nagakage is here?”

“And don’t forget the very real possibility that the mastermind is one of us.” Kanna spoke, his voice little more than a whisper. “I don’t know who might be hiding still, but we cannot discount that yet.”

“Yes, yes. It is good to remain optimistic, however, we must also remain realistic. This opportunity is the best one we’ve gotten to make our move, but I think the mastermind expects us to gloss over the details of who, what, and why.” Shigeru added.

“Working together is what we should a-attempt, but... I know better than anyone th-that betrayal comes from where you least expect i-it.” Shohei awkwardly adjusted his apron, “So, uh, b-basically... I always have an eye out.”

Yukari narrowed her icy eyes, exhaling through her nose, “Betrayal, hm? Do not forget, Shohei. There are many secrets you guys seem to think are, indeed, quite secret that I already know.” With a flick of her wrist, something flew across the room and Shohei scrambled to catch it, “Before you freak out, like you’re prone to, it is merely a replica. Now then, I think I will take my leave.” As she walked toward the exit, she paused, “A time limit was not given to us, but try to remember that in moments like these, time is decided by the next Blackened. If there isn’t one, all the better. But if there is... Kyahahahaha!”

Shohei’s eyes were wider than normal as he stared at the card he now held. As Yukari left, he shakily placed it into one of his apron pockets before hesitantly grabbing a small handful of coffee beans and popping them into his mouth, all at once. Kanna raised an eyebrow at this strange action, but said nothing.

Mei, who had been staring at him as well, tilted her head. She had taken some of the beans a while back, but did not know what to do with them. Perhaps, she realised, she should ask Shohei himself. The remaining six shared an uncomfortable feeling as they did not know how to react.

Keroko, curious as to what Yukari had given Shohei, blinked her large red eyes at him, but he seemed preoccupied with being at the verge of having a panic attack, so she refrained from anything further. The shuffling of movement made her turn once more as she saw Haru stand up, a strange look in his eyes, “I’m going to go find Kouki. I need to talk to her... about all this.”

And so, the cellist left the room, leaving the other five there.

“Kanna, may we have a word?” Shigeru made his way over to the brooding prodigy who lifted his head slowly. His silver eyes looked dull, something Shigeru hadn’t seen in a long time. “Come, come. Let’s go to the Meeting Room.”

“Alright then,” Kanna conceded and followed Shigeru out the western door. Once inside, he took a seat yet again and, surprisingly, was the one to start, “You’ve always been there for me, haven’t you?”

“Oh my. Well, I’ve tried my best. You know how much I hate seeing you like this.” Shigeru shook his head. The cosmetologist stuck his hand in his bag and pulled out a stick of eyeliner, “You really are being so hard on yourself. I feel terrible that Amari is gone. It is eating me up inside... Ah, do you remember when I came to you the day after you and Amari broke up? Mei noticed and we tried to explain it but...”

“She thought Amari and I got into a physical fight and then wouldn’t stop her internal dilemma of who would win the fight. A bodyguard or the one called Ultimate Perfection.” Kanna chuckled dryly. Shigeru, who was doing Kanna’s eyes now, held his hand firm despite it, “My biggest regret is not fulfilling my promise to her.”

“Your promise?” As Shigeru asked his question, Kanna brought out the locket and set it on the table, opened, “Her parents, then?”

“When Amari showed this to me the first time, I told her that, someday, I’d find a way to cease her nightmares. But, even here I could tell... She was still plagued by those nightly terrors.” Kanna frowned, shaking his head, “At one point, I think I brought up the idea of asking Ami, but... She didn’t want that. She wanted to move on of her own accord.”

“Ami, hm? I am constantly astonished at your ability to remember people. After all, Ami was an entire year ahead of us. And you talk with Shohei quite a bit, no?” Shigeru smiled slightly, “I’d be more surprised if you didn’t know someone, honestly.”

“I never talked to Yudai, so I didn’t know his talent. I’d never met Rikuto, and Yukari is an enigma even to me. As for everyone else here..? Yeah. I mean, they were all around.” Kanna adjusted his collar, “If I recall, you also talked to Mei and Yamato after they lost Ami and Nori respectively.”

“Ah, you caught me. That I did, that I did.” Shigeru's smile grew sheepish. “After losing Rikuto, it pains me to see people going through the same thing. Especially now... People’s spirits are breaking so quickly. I was talking with Kouki earlier, but it was like talking to a wall.”

“I wish there was a way to prove to her that her sister is still alive.” Kanna muttered and then quickly added, “Without the help of this motive. But at the same time, if we found out that she... is dead. How would that affect Kouki? I fear for everyone... How is my mother? Or perhaps, how is your father, Shigeru?”

“My... My father?” He stopped what he was doing for a moment, “I try not to think about it. I was so worried that, if something were to happen to me, he wouldn’t make it, but now that this has really happened... I have to... I have to believe that he’s finally snapped back to reality.”

“I know how much it hurt you to even be in the same room as him.” Kanna placed one of his hands over Shigeru’s. “Let’s not talk about that now, though. You’re trying your best to cheer me up, and how do I repay you? By bringing up sore memories? Agh, just who am I?”

Despite what he said, there was some light-heartedness in Kanna’s tone and Shigeru appreciated it. That aspect of Kanna had not changed, it seemed. He still knew just what to say in every situation.

\---

“For you to seek me out..? A lunatic act of lunacy from a psychopathic psychologist... Kukuku!” Setsuka tilted her head to the side. She stood in the Observatory, running her finger over a small hole in the wall. “What might you require my presence for?”

“My my!” Yukari gasped in exaggerated shock, her hand over her mouth, “Wherever is your ‘familiar’, Setsuka? It surely won’t be a fair fight without it.”

“Niseko is as my child. The otherworldly spawn of my mind’s designation. The denizen of my heart... She has wandered from my sight, but this is unobjectionable for I have told my proxy to bewilder me and, so, she leads her crusade to do just that.” Setsuka waved a hand in the air, “Yet, you wish not a duel. Why have you come?”

“I just came to remind you of something.” Yukari walked up to Setsuka, her icy eyes narrowed, “Something quite simple and yet, I fear it may be too complex for your convoluted mind to take hold of.”

“Speak.” She barked, drumming her red nails on her cheek.

“Alright, but first, a hypothetical. I know you have no trouble coming up with solutions that are outside the box but I wonder... Are you capable of fitting in on a team, Setsuka?” Yukari waved her hand and then held something slim and black. A Monopad. “Hmhmhm. This is a replica of your Monopad, Setsuka. A replica because I already know what is on yours as do you. You know what will appear if I tap it, correct? So now I ask. Should you escape this shelter with the others, would you still hide who you really are?”

“The epithet I bear is Setsuka. This is all I require to impart.” Setsuka’s smile grew a bit, “You know of the light in my name? The shadow?”

“Palace child?” Yukari blinked, “Or... Winter fountain?”

“Kukuku...” Setsuka giggled, “Names are so very intriguing. To take one’s roots and mix them around. Is this not the creation of Shimizu from Suisei? Ah, but... I wish to take myself to a different station. How is your phantom treating you?”

“You keep going on and on about the same dull things. You’re like a broken record, Setsuka.” Yukari shook her head, but Setsuka held her position, “I’m not afraid of the dark. Now use your creative plastic mind and work that riddle out, yourself. Surely I don’t need to lead you by the hand like you do your plastic slave.”

“Niseko is my child. Like an eternal record, I shall repeat it forevermore without halt for whatever twisted taunts you spit. I lower my guard not for the viper. Not for the wily fox, nor the tricky tanuki.” Setsuka licked her lips and continued, “The ice reflects that which is haunted. Tremors of fear lay deep within the crevices concealed by frozen barriers. Yet! Yukari, your guards are melting... Kukuku... Thusly... You could not even face your prey as you hunted.”

“Must you talk to me about that? I seem to recall... Wasn’t it the same for you? You didn’t watch Renako’s death. You merely told your plaything to destroy it and only witnessed the aftermath.” Yukari inspected one of her nails as she spoke. “But I witnessed my ‘phantom’s’ death, did I not?”

“You... did.” Setsuka’s grin faded for a moment as her hand lashed out, forcefully grabbing Yukari by the collar, “I am still bewildered. I am enlightened to your speed... The way you compute and process... If you so desired, I would be elementary for your venom.”

“And I will repeat, my aim is not to kill. I care not what you try to do to me, Setsuka.” Yukari managed, lifting her head. Without any sign of effort, Setsuka drove Yukari toward the wall, the back of her head hitting the cold metal with a dull thud, “You are quite quick to jump the gun, aren’t you. I was wondering how long you could hold your composure.”

“I do not see fondly of those who seek my unanticipated participation in mental experiments. There has been exceeding probing already in subjection.” Setsuka shrieked, her teeth bared. Without warning, she let go of Yukari, turning away, “Henceforth, belittle my child no more.”

“Nevermore.” Yukari let out a dry chuckle, sitting on the ground. She rubbed the back of her head for a brief moment, bits of smoke, barely even particles, dissipating into the air. She then looked back up at Setsuka, “Is that it? You are quite calculated for someone so fickle.”

“That is all.” Setsuka smiled once more, twirling a string between her index finger and thumb. “Now then... The resolution to your initial puzzlement. Unification poses no issue toward I. Even with your presence shall I not object. Should my assistance be required, I shall oblige. However, never neglect such recollection. I am the witch.”

\---

Mei paced around the Dining Hall, taking heaving gasps, “I am still dying.”

“Y-You’re not dying. You had half of the weakest brew I could’ve given you!” Shohei exclaimed and near him, on a table, Niseko giggled. He turned toward the doll, who was sitting with Keroko and frowned, “Y-You didn’t poison it, did you? That’s my job.”

“Nope! I did nothing!” Niseko clasped her hands together, “I think Mei is just a little sensitive, y’know? Not everyone’s like you, Shohei.”

“Kero?” Keroko pointed to the cup on the table that Mei had initially drunk from and tilted her head at Shohei.

As he was about to answer, he heard a growling noise, “Why will my heart not cease its racing? This is unhealthy! I believe you _have _poisoned me, Takanichi. Your drink was unbearably disgusting and I feel ill.”

“D-Disgusting?” Shohei frowned, “I... know you mean bitter, but that’s such a harsh w-way to put it. I’m gonna drown m-my sorrows with more... Like a true coffeeholic. I-I’ve got a real problem...”

“T-Takanichi! I did not mean to hurt your feelings,” Mei exclaimed. Then she blinked and motioned toward Keroko, “I believe she would like to drink your poisonous drink.”

“Wh-What? Can you... Can you even drink coffee?” There were two pots on the table next to Shohei. The one closest to him was much stronger than the other, as he’d made one for him and one for Mei.

Keroko shrugged and then grabbed Mei’s cup before peering into it and downing the rest in one gulp. “Kero.”

“For the love of- I-I’m gonna become the next Blackened. A dead ninja and a dead herpetologist! Keroko, I-I don’t think a frog is supposed to drink coffee!” Shohei pulled at his hair, frustrated, “Fine. Which one w-would you like, Niseko?”

“Uhhh... I’ll take some of the dark brew.” She nodded gleefully as Shohei’s expression changed to one of defeat. “That’s what master drinks when she has coffee which is, admittedly, never. She prefers tea.”

“Wh-What did I expect?” Shohei sighed as he poured a cup and set it next to Niseko, “I-If you short-circuit, make sure you l-let Setsuka know that it wasn’t m-my fault. I’m not ready to become her next project.”

“May I throw up, Takanichi?” Mei asked, quietly. But as Shohei once again turned his back to Keroko and Niseko, he heard quick shuffling and spun back around to see Keroko dipping her tongue into the cup. With a very loud and pained sigh, Shohei pulled out a chair and collapsed into it. “Takanichi? Is everything alright? I will not throw up if it will make you feel better.”

“This was, q-quite frankly, the worst thing I could’ve done. I’ve been m-meaning to sharpen up my kidnapping skills but y’know, I really didn’t expect to get my hours in by drugging a frog and a girl who o-only drinks water!” Shohei grunted, “I literally made you the w-weakest thing I could’ve m-made! How are you this reactive!?”

“I do not understand... But I apologise for offending you.” Mei dipped her head and then worriedly shifted her gaze to the door, “I have been attempting to be more... social, as Fujioka puts it. So I will now say that I am leaving to go to my room. Farewell.”

He blinked as she walked off to the hallway and then turned his head to look at the tiny duo now standing on the tables. “I-If her issue was never being exposed to anything b-but water... Keroko, please tell me you’ve at least t-tasted coffee before.”

She grinned and nodded her head very enthusiastically. It was time for the scientist to show off her passion.

\---

“How did you know I would be in here?” Kouki turned her head toward Haru as she rifled through the drawers of the Supply Room, “And not my room?”

Haru awkwardly scratched the back of his head, before looking up at her, “The way you were messing with your paint in the auditorium. I had a feeling you’d be coming here for a refill but also... No one else was gonna come down here.”

“Hm. Well, you’re here now, so I’m not exactly alone anymore.” Kouki sighed and fully turned around. She carried almost a meek expression and Haru struggled for any clue as to her true feelings other than fear and despair. “I know you remember what I was saying as we were investigating and... how hostile I’ve been. I’m not going to try and justify my behavior because I know we’re all here in the same situation. I’ve just been handling it terribly.”

“No... I understand. I totally understand. I’ve been so unbelievably overwhelmed and... Unlike most of the others here, I haven’t felt what it’s truly like to have someone so close to me torn away by this game.” Haru shook his head, “Yeah, I would consider Ami a close friend, but we still had only met here. Aside from me, though... Kanna lost Amari yesterday and, I know they didn’t share many outward emotions to us but recall that Marise was in Keroko’s class. Even the others... I realise Mei and Ami had only just met, too, but Mei’s lack of social skills leads me to believe that she’s never had someone in her life who was just there, y’know? As a friend. And Shigeru... Well. I’m not gonna name Shigeru’s feelings for him.”

“The pain of loss here is real...” Kouki bit her lip.

“So, anyway, I get you. How can I possibly say that any of my feelings are more justified than someone like Kanna’s? I wasn’t even remotely close with Yamato or Nori in school. I don’t even have that.” Haru folded his arms, “And yet... Who was to one to scream at Marise to die? I haven’t been in a position that should’ve dragged me so far down.”

“I thought that maybe I’d feel better today but I still just don’t understand. Why did Marise do that?” Kouki stared at her palm, “And what’s different about Marise than me? Who’s to say I won’t do something like that?”

“Kouki. It is impossible to speak for Marise with certainty but those moments I shared with her when we were alone. They were real. I don’t think Marise was just afraid of her mother. She called her mother a devil and Marise herself told me just how she saw herself. She was afraid of dying and ending up stuck with her devil.” Haru clenched his fist as he spoke, “And someone who can’t forgive their own sins, like Marise or Ami... What hope do they have? The difference between the two was that Ami accepted it and Marise was afraid of it.”

“Unforgivable sins? But you said it yourself. Marise had never killed anyone. What could be so bad that...” Kouki trailed off as Haru looked her in the eyes.

“Just being related to a devil can be enough.” He answered and then exhaled, “Kouki, the only one who can decide what you do is you. But the fact that you have genuine doubts about yourself leads me to believe that you are more than capable of reigning yourself back in. I don’t think I’m the most qualified to say this but... While yes, some holes are too deep to climb out of, I think you can overcome this one.”

“Yeah... I’m sorry about all of this. I’m gonna try my best to move on from this. Maybe I won’t be anything like how I was before, but I’m going to try my hardest. I promise.” She smiled a small smile, “Honestly, you’re sorta like an inspiration to me, Haru. You said you’ve felt this sense of hopelessness and loss when you were in school and yet... You’re honestly trying your hardest, too.”

“I... suppose I am. Inspiration might be a bit far, though...” He chuckled slightly, “I’ll talk to you later, Kouki. And I better see you smiling again.”

She nodded before grabbing several jars and exiting the Supply Room.

\---

Haru rubbed his eyes. It’d been a bit since the motive was revealed and, as expected, nothing had really happened. They were trying their best to solve the many mysteries, but without any sorts of leads, they were merely running in place. The only person who even had a shot was Yukari, but she still wasn’t being cooperative. Maybe there was a way to figure something out without confronting Yukari herself, however. Haru sat up, the ticking of the metronome filling the air. While, before, the noise annoyed him, he had since realised that the constant, steady noise sounded similar to a clock and so he had set it to 60 bpm and never turned it off since.

He got off his bed and freshened himself up, heading to the bathroom to finish getting ready. As he stared at himself in the mirror, he sighed. It felt like he was an entirely different person than he was before. Yet... In the past few days, he also felt like he was getting a bit better. The stress of a terrible motive wasn’t against his back this time and instead, there was the chance that something, anything, could get better.

Brushing his orange bangs to the side, he headed back to the Blue Hallway, and, nearly autonomously, he walked until he faced the Herschel Academy door. Haru knocked and waited for the answer.

The click of the doorknob reverberated and he heard a very sharp inhale before the door was thrown open. Haru stepped back as he watched Shohei stumble forward, nearly falling on top of Haru, “Shohei, what the heck!?”

“S-S-Sorry! Ugh... Okay so... I wasn’t expecting you so when I saw you, I-I panicked because I, uh, wasn’t e-expecting you... Like I already said.” Shohei brought himself up to his feet, brushing off his apron. “Add that one to th-the list of times Haru has threatened my life by accident.”

“Shohei, I did not- What?” Haru frowned deeply but stopped speaking when Shohei began to giggle. The barista motioned for Haru to enter and he did so, sitting in one of the many chairs.

“Can I make you a drink on this fine p-probably-morning?” Shohei offered and when Haru gave a weak nod, he made his way behind his bar. “Wh-What can I do you for, Haru?”

“You really don’t ever sleep. Jeez.” Haru shook his head and paused, “You’ve been talking with Yukari a lot, haven’t you? I’m trying to figure her out and... I have a lot of theories, but nothing to confirm them.”

“W-Well, honestly... I’m in the same b-boat.” Shohei admitted, “No matter what she does or says, I just g-get more confused. Nowadays, especially. I-I don’t know what exactly changed, but... She’s definitely changed.”

“What was it that she gave you?” Haru asked, but quickly raised his hands, “You don’t need to answer if you’re uncomfortable with it.”

“N-No... It’s fine. I mean, like, what am I gonna do about it. It was a replica of my brother’s business card.” Shohei lowered his head a bit. “I’ve only seen the real thing once because I... I don’t really speak to him anymore, but... I knew what it was at a glance.”

“Your brother? Kouki mentioned him.” Haru nodded and paused as Shohei flipped on the coffee grinder. When the noise faded, he continued, “That he and her sister were in a relationship.”

“Th-That they were. But Kouki knows more about it th-than I do because... She’s close to her sister. I worry about him but... Sometimes I w-wonder if I would’ve turned out better if he... He wasn’t a-around.” Shohei let out a shaky breath, “S-Sorry. I know you don’t want extra sodium in your c-cup.”

“Shohei? Do you need to talk?” Haru stood up and walked to the other side of the bar. “Look. Earlier you were... Not so keen on the thought of what might be outside this shelter. You seem really conflicted.”

“Saio... That’s his name... Saio was... Well, we u-used to be really close but our mother worked as a police investigator. One day, she was shot by an assassin and there were... There were rumors.” Shohei ran his fingers through his hair, taking another breath. Then he managed a bit of a sly smile, “I know the whole thing about everyone here missing a parent. So... There you go. My mother’s d-dead. Saio was... really open about his plans. He told me that he was going to join the yakuza.”

“The yakuza?” Haru’s eyes widened, “Kouki said that he got involved with the police but... the yakuza!?”

“That’s what the business c-card is. His front as a b-bartender is an act. I m-mean, it’s also the r-reason I thought of applying my skills to coffee, b-but... Hm. I don’t know what S-Saio wants anymore. I’m... I’m really scared of the yakuza, though. How can I n-not be?” Shohei slid a now full cup toward Haru and leaned back against the wall, “And while I-I’d been trying to do my best to avoid him, h-he just so happened to come back i-into my life through school. Kouki knows how I feel about Saio and she did her best to make me f-feel better but...”

He trailed off and Haru was silent for a moment, “It almost sounds to me like Saio joined the yakuza for information.”

“O-Of course that thought crossed my mind. I’m just... overly scared. It’s irrational. It’s my p-paranoia. Saio would have no reason to j-join the people who killed mother other than that and the y-yakuza have never bugged me personally.” Shohei looked down again, “In fact, o-one time, I was coming home from work and th-this thug came outta nowhere. Fucking hell... I was so scared. Then there were more and I-I didn’t know wh-what to do. They were just street thugs but... Damn... I heard shouting and then- then! Then there was a g-gunshot and they scattered. I was paralysed. I couldn’t move. But... nothing else happened. The streets were silent. I almost didn’t go h-home I was so scared...”

Haru could only blink. Imagining something like that, he wondered if he would have even been able to muster up the courage to leave after a situation like that. In his silence, Shohei merely stared back. The barista never struck Haru as particularly nervous, even after learning about his paranoia but this... This was a bravery he never expected from the constantly jittery boy. “Shohei...”

“Hey, look. I-I’m not the most useful guy around. All I ever really do is crack bad jokes at inopportune times but... I-I’m trying to make myself... mean something I guess.” Shohei looked up at the ceiling, “I know that something worse is still c-coming. B-Because I haven’t... I haven’t once felt a complete l-lack of hope. Not once have I felt like there was no b-bouncing back. And that seems t-to be the goal of the mastermind... You either fall or you die. There are no alternatives.”

“That is...” Haru tried to come up with a response but he knew that after Ami’s final moments, Yamato’s reaction to Nori’s death, Amari seeing everyone around her dropping, Marise’s realisation that she was going to die... And the people still here. Shigeru after losing Rikuto, Kanna after losing Amari, Mei after losing Ami... And Kouki... He couldn’t find a fair counterargument. Shohei was right.  
  


“But that’s why I am trying my best to b-become a stronger person. If... When that moment comes for me... I want t-to be able to face it. I want to be like Shigeru and Mei. A-And I know Kanna is working toward that too.” Shohei smiled softly. “And you...”

“Kouki, too,” Haru muttered absentmindedly. Shohei really had hit the nail on the head.

“Someday, maybe I’ll be able to see a corpse and not pass out.” He blinked and paused for a moment, “M-Maybe I should become a coroner.”

Haru scratched the back of his neck awkwardly and Shohei began to chuckle. Finally taking a sip of the coffee, he managed to relax just a bit. If there was one thing Shohei excelled at, it was breaking the tension even after the heaviest moments.

After a while, their conversation having turned to more casual talk, Haru left Shohei’s room. He knew there was no more avoiding it and, this time, it would be of his own accord. He made his way to the Red Hallway and stood in front of the door without a symbol. As he raised his fist to knock, however, he was stopped.

“It really was only a matter of time, wasn’t it, Haru?” He turned to see Yukari. In one hand she held her Monopad.

“Yukari.” His greeting was curt and to the point, “We need to talk.”

“Oh, fear not. You see, I had the faintest premonitions that this time would, indeed, come soon.” She smirked and moved next to him. She was uncomfortable close as she scanned her Monopad but, realising that it was his own fault, Haru stepped to the side. “Let us go, then. After you, love.”

He stepped inside and blinked. Out of every room he’d been in, the only ones that had semi-resembled a proper living space were Yudai’s, which looked like a beach house, and Ami’s, which had been simple, devoid of color. But now... He didn’t know what he’d expected, but it wasn’t this. It was as if he’d just stepped into a normal living room. After a moment, he regained his composure, “I’m gonna cut straight to it, Yukari. Do you ever plan on sharing the whole truth? As in, who you are, what you are, and why you are?”

“You make everything sound so much more complicated than it really is. There is hardly a difference between you and I. Don’t you know that by now?” She walked past him to sit on a chair, “And why are you surprised? I am a psychoanalyst. What else would my room be aside from the perfect place for delving into the unconscious?”

“Even if I can figure it out, I can’t guarantee that everyone else will. And the fact of the matter is, I don’t even really know myself. I can only take guesses.” Haru took a seat across from her and stared her in the eyes, “If you had been working with us, we might’ve had a shot at figuring out who is behind all of this. We could’ve prevented everything that happened before. We could have--”

“Hush now.” Yukari rose a finger, “You don’t see psychoanalysis around as much now as you might have, perhaps, in Freud’s era. The father of psychoanalysis who was credited with quite a few things. The naughtier things aside, Freud coined what was later named Eros and Thanatos, the life drive and the death drive. I want to focus on the latter. The death drive is the idea that humans are pushed toward the absence of life. The goal in life is death is something Freud said in regard to it. This desire for death in ourselves can manifest in aggression and hatred and also causes us to relive traumatic events in our lives. All instinct in the world will fit into either the desire for life or the desire for death. This was something Freud pressed. Do I believe that? Not necessarily. Yet... Hm. You must be wondering why I am avoiding what you are saying, yes?”

“You’ll never give me a straight answer.” Haru shook his head. “Whether it’s psychology, neuroscience, what have you... You just give me this incomprehensible garbage.”

“Kyahahahaha! Garbage? My, Haru. I thought you were the science-minded one.” Her smirk was quite malicious, “‘Nothing is more intolerable than to have to admit to yourself your own errors.’ Do you recognise that one?”

“Beethoven.” He answered without hesitation, “So then. What are you going to connect death drive to? No, actually. Don’t answer that. I... already know.”

“Good.” She paused and then slyly looked him in the eye, her cold gaze unreadable, “It wasn’t just me, was it?”

“I’m going to need more information.” Haru sighed at her once-again cryptic words, “What wasn’t just you?”

“When I first saw you. First observed you, I was reminded of Tsuji. But you have a sister. Azumi, correct? Do I remind you of Azumi?” Yukari didn’t blink, but her tone was very playful.

“From what I was told, Azumi was tricky for my parents to deal with. She was very good at talking her way out of situations and was intelligent for her years. With that description in mind, yes.” Haru nodded, “But it’s hard to be reminded of someone you’ve never met.”

“Well, Tsuji was around my age, but Azumi was far older than you. Wouldn’t it be fascinating if, instead of you and I, Tsuji and Azumi took our places? Maybe in some not-so-far-off parallel universe, that is how it went. Perhaps they, too, would have sat in a room, the tension of the future hanging heavily in the air.” Yukari leaned back into her chair. She extended an index finger and began to play with some smoke that seemingly conjured from thin air. “Despite my inability to see it, I have no doubt that the outside world is nothing more than the sizzled remains of a solar storm. Call it nihilism if you will, but there is not a shred of hope in me that anything in Japan remains. I do believe that other countries may have succeeded in evacuation orders but the fact of the matter remains that this event would drastically reduce the human population. What are your thoughts, Haru?”

“I can’t say I feel much differently. Based on Rika’s letter and what Amari said, I am certain the solar flare already occurred.” Haru admitted, “And yeah... Only a fraction of our world would be left. Not just humans, but all other life. So much would have been wiped out.”

“There is absolutely no room for the weight of self-branded sin. Unforgivable crimes cannot exist in a world like that. If only two people escape from this shelter, so be it. They must not hold any doubt in themselves. If they do, humanity is doomed. Yudai Shimizu gave up before he began. He threw away his life when he threw away his name and face. Rikuto Honda decided that the other people here had a better shot than he did in terms of survival. Nori Sasaki, so full of fire, was also full of so much fear. So much so that he no longer held faith in himself. Ami Yumekuu’s belief in what being a murderer meant made it so that she no longer had any desire to live and, thus, she became nothing more than a phantom. Yamato Yukimura was broken much longer than he appeared to be. Facing the death of a friend dragged him below the point of redemption. Amari Hoshino was plagued with nightmare after nightmare after nightmare. The death of her mother taunted her and so too would the faces of her failures. Marise Kita held such repulsion for herself, the spawn of her own personal devil. The idea of living meant carrying that taint and the idea of dying meant reconnecting with the devil.” Yukari’s face was a stone mask now, but even so, Haru felt for the first time that something was cracking through. A plea that he’d never heard before. “And what of it? When someone dies, all hope of recovery is lost. Every last bit of potential is destroyed.”

“But you were the one who killed Nori and Ami! Explain to me that!” Haru stood up, his head suddenly rushing.

“I did it so that you would hate me.” Haru felt her grip his hand, her nails digging into his flesh, “I did it to create such a perfect, unforgivable sin. And with that... I turned every bit of self-hatred into a unified hatred for one thing. That thing that took away two very precious people.”

“Hatred... I...” He hesitated, “Your next goal. I told you I knew what it was and now... Yeah. So you succeeded. You generated so much hate and, in turn, you even managed to take Ami’s self-hate. After all, she is the phantom that still torments you. You created a common, visible enemy. And now, people aren’t quite sure what to think about you anymore. Nobody outright hates you, you said.”

“Because there is no such thing as an unforgivable sin. Except for the sin of the mastermind.” Yukari dropped her hand and looked away, “The mastermind gave us this motive on purpose. Everything is calculated to hit us perfectly. This time, we didn’t need that push because someone already had that killing intent.”

“That’s right...” He agreed and then repeated, slower, “That’s right. The motive of information... An indefinite time limit.”

“I do not pressure people into doing things before they are ready. I will wait an eternity if I have to.” Yukari stood up, “People say that time is relative and yet... It’s still definite. No moment will ever last forever. No matter how much anyone wishes. Seconds. Minutes. Hours. Days. Years. Decades... Lives. Nothing is infinite. And yet, we never quite want to say farewell. We’re never quite ready until the very end.”

“Then don’t say farewell.” He said as she walked toward the door. Someone who does not pressure people... He wasn’t surprised that she was willing to let him stay in her room.

Yukari reached the door and sighed, the breath turning into a light chuckle. Turning her head, she smiled, “See you later, Haru.”  


\---

Shohei sat at a station in the Laboratory, fiddling with a Bunsen burner. As the heat touched his face, he shuddered. He was quite cold as was par for the course. Due to the excess amount of caffeine he consumed, his body temperature was a bit higher than an average human’s and, thus, the temperature of the room felt a little cool.

“So, I gathered some things from the File Room that I thought we could go over.” He heard as the door to the Lab opened. Kouki sat down next to him with a stack of files. “That is... If you’re okay with going through them.”

“H-Huh? Yeah, of course.” Shohei mumbled and switched off the flame. He’d met up with Kouki in an attempt to come up with some sort of clue, but something else had surprised him.

“One of the first things I looked for was Suisei. Anything relating to him. I know that, obviously, at the time, Yudai wasn’t dead, but... Why was Yudai Yudai if Yudai was actually Suisei?” She looked at Shohei who merely shrugged, “It goes without saying that I found nothing about Suisei. I mean... I wouldn’t know where to look. The File Room is organised by cause of death.”

The thing that had surprised Shohei was her demeanor and tone of voice. He could tell she was still shaken, but he very much felt as though he was speaking to the Kouki he’d come to know over the years and not the shell that had been her the past many days. “I c-can see how that would make things hard... I know S-Setsuka spent a lot of time in the File Room but... She’s not being very helpful.”

“But we do have one possible cause of death without a victim. And that’s the bullet you and Kanna found in the Observatory.” Kouki lifted up one file, “And I actually found something really interesting on that subject.”

“Wh-What? You actually found something?” Shohei gulped and placed his quivering hands down on the table. “What was it..?”

“Now, before I show you I want to make it clear that I don’t think this has anything to do with the Observatory at all.” She placed a file on the table in front of Shohei and opened it up, “Daiyuu Taeshiro. If the name itself doesn’t strike you as weird--”

“It does.” Shohei interjected.

“...Right. Well, look at the picture. We’ve seen him before.” Kouki pointed and Shohei understood. This was the man that was in Yudai’s picture. The one they hadn’t been able to recognise. “I think this might be the origin of the name, Yudai. Don’t you think?”

“Shimizu was m-made by reversing the kanji in Suisei a-and using different readings. It’s possible that s-somehow Yudai was taken from the kanji in Suisei’s family n-name but... This is h-hard to argue with. Daiyuu and Yudai...” Shohei brought out a folded paper and pen from his apron pocket, shaking off remnants of coffee bean dust. He quickly scribbled down the kanji that made up ‘Yudai Shimizu’ and then, referencing the file, ‘Daiyuu Taeshiro’. “Huh. S-So, what does the file say about Daiyuu?”

Kouki sighed, “Honestly? Not much. Most of it is scribbled out. I have a feeling the mastermind knew we’d be looking for this. They’ve been very thorough, I’ll give them that. What is in here is that Daiyuu was shot and not just that. He was shot at Hope’s Peak Academy. He died nearly instantly. It was so quick that not even the combined team of ultimates and medics at the school could save him.”

Shohei ran his fingers through his hair, “So then... What c-connects Daiyuu and Y-Yudai? O-Obviously they were friends or, at least, a-acquaintances. After all, they were in that picture t-together. None of us h-have ever heard of Daiyuu. I-If we assume that they are of similar age and that Daiyuu is also an ultimate... Wh-Why haven’t we ever heard of him?”

“He should have been at Hope’s Peak with Yudai... But at Hope’s Peak, Yudai was Yudai. He wasn’t Suisei. So... Was Daiyuu already dead?” Kouki frowned, “That makes no sense. Yudai was in the first-year class. When would this have happened?”

“I-I don’t know...” Shohei admitted. He frowned, “No matter what we learn a-about Yudai, I still feel like we know nothing about him.”

“Yudai was a transfer student... I wonder if Suisei was on the school roster. Because at the time, we’d have had no way of distinguishing Yudai and Suisei except his, no offense, ridiculous horns. If he didn’t have them, we’d never know they were the same.” Kouki set a jar of paint on the table, “Although I don’t remember Suisei at all. I’d never seen Yudai’s true face before the day he died.”

“Could something h-have happened? The m-mastermind is clearly trying to lead us on with the m-mystery of Yudai. M-Maybe they did some messing with o-o-our brains,” Shohei took a moment, his eyes going wider than usual, and swallowed hard, “I-I’m a barista, not a lab rat! My name isn’t Chuuhei!”

“Chuuhei? Chuu chuu. It’s kinda cute.” Kouki wryly smiled “You’re timid like a mouse, too.”

“I am not t-timid! Ch-Chuuhei my ass.” Shohei glared at Kouki, “I came up w-with a serious suggestion there!”

“Hey, you said it first, not me.” Kouki shrugged, “I can’t believe that it’s entirely possible for you to become my brother-in-law. Jeez. Enough joking, though. I’m not a neuroscientist, but... Well, I think we’d have to ask someone like Setsuka.”

“S-Setsuka?” Shohei tilted his head, “I don’t think I-I really want to engage with Setsuka at all. Couldn’t we a-ask Niseko?”

“I guess. But the reason I say Setsuka is because, according to her, she’s been through some... tampering, before. I figure if anyone can know for sure, it’d be her, right?” Kouki opened the jar and poured some of the paint over the counter. “Hm. I guess we could try and go through what we know. See if there are any holes but...”

“Y-Y’know, Kouki... I-I’m still worried.” Shohei placed his hands on the table, carefully avoiding the paint.

“You’re always worried about something.” With a dismissive gesture, the artist flicked some of the paint onto Shohei’s face who flinched almost dramatically. “But, what is it this time?”

With an expression of contempt, Shohei wiped the paint off of his face and sighed, “This game. Y-Yeah, sure. This motive is... lax. It seems l-like nothing right? But what if... What if someone here wants to go out in some show of nobility? If y-you feel like you have nothing l-left and you want to use th-the motive, information, to help out the rest of the group?”

“Nothing left?” Kouki tapped her chin, staining her face slightly, “As in... empty and full of despair? Using the idea that your last actions could better the group... I get it. That does seem like it’s possible. I’m not going to deny the idea of murder anymore. I thought that it would be fine... But then Marise snapped. I’m not going to make that mistake again.”

“R-Right, well. That’s reassuring.” Shohei grunted. He folded his arms and sighed, “I t-talked to Haru recently and I got a feeling th-that he also doesn’t think that this is over. Far from it.”

“Yeah... And the people here I don’t trust, Setsuka and Yukari... As long as they’re here, I can’t rest easy.” Kouki bit her lip, “Yukari in particular... She’s plotting something. I can tell.”

Shohei said nothing, silence pervading the room. He couldn’t admit to Kouki that he was actually worried about the psychoanalyst. The dramatic shift in her behavior... He felt as though she was preparing for something big and he didn’t like that idea. In fact, he had come to a conclusion of his own.

Although Shohei didn’t know it, his conclusion was almost identical to the one Haru had made. The idea that Yukari was trying to prove something and then subvert everything in one sweep. He wasn’t exactly sure what the execution would be, but whatever it was would involve murder. And with the motive... When she was talking to Setsuka, Yukari used logic to determine why Setsuka would be the top suspect in a murder but he had caught her slight manipulation. Yukari had only said that she knew everything she needed to know about _Setsuka_.

The motive was targeted at those who were prepared to die already. Shohei was certain of that. He would need to find the psychoanalyst and talk to her. If she truly was preparing something, perhaps he could do his best to figure out why and maybe even prevent it.

“Why did you go quiet, Shohei?” Kouki said quietly. Shohei looked into her soft gaze but quickly averted it. Kouki was the one person aside from perhaps Setsuka that would never understand anything he’d come up with. He knew her and he knew that her passion was such that her opinion was rarely swayed. She hated Yukari and he doubted that fact would change. “Shohei?”

“I-It’s like I said. I’m just worried. My mind is c-coming up with every possible way th-this situation could go to hell. I-It’s just the usual.” He gave her a shaky smile and then sighed once more. “Just worried... Why don’t we talk a-about something else? Did you find anyth-thing else in the File Room?”

“Nothing else quite as groundbreaking but... I did find this.” Kouki laid a file on the table, away from the paint, and Shohei sighed solemnly as he saw what it was, “It... was in the same section. I figured if... If you needed proof still... You could find it.”

“Y-Yeah... I’m certain, but...” Shohei opened the file and his heart dropped. The name, ‘Sasara Takanichi’, was all Kouki had looked at before, but as she peered over Shohei’s shoulder, she saw the picture that accompanied the file, “Yeah. Whoever put together these f-files... The mastermind... You’re right. They’re very thorough. I’m just g-glad it wasn’t... worse...”

He shuddered to think of what could have been and bit down on his tongue to force his mind to stop. Kouki wiped off a hand with a nearby towel hanging over a sink and returned to pat Shohei on the back, “I’m sorry... I thought you might want to know, though.”

“I-I... I appreciate it. And... I don’t doubt anymore why Saio ch-chose the path he did. Mother’s investigation was all private and h-he just wanted to find out wh-what she was chasing that ended up getting her silenced.” He hung his head, “I wish I could apologise to him, but that will take more than just a miracle. I-I have to survive. I have to get out of here. But not only that... _He _has to be alive.”

“The solar flare..?” Kouki frowned, “There’s no use in perseverating over that now. After all, if it happened, everything is gone. If we just accept that, what will be the fuel pushing us forward? I want to find her safe and sound.”

“Kouki... I-I just want to say...” Shohei glanced away a bit awkwardly, “I, uh... I wouldn’t mind being your brother-in-law. We already sometimes a-argue like siblings, anyway.”

“Hmph. I am going to refrain from saying what jumped into my mind there because it would only prove your point, Chuuhei.” Kouki folded her arms, but a small smile played on her lips, “But I agree. Let’s get out of here first, though. Then we can start planning our siblings’ wedding.”

“Easier wed than done.” Shohei snorted and Kouki buried her face in her hands before, once more, grabbing the towel to, this time, wipe down the entire half of her face she’d touched. “Anything else--”

Suddenly, a loud bang reverberated, shaking the shelves of the Laboratory. A single beaker fell with a shrill shatter and Shohei jumped, his heart skipping several beats. The door had swung open and someone stood in the doorway.

He watched, unable to make a sound, as Yukari stepped through, rubbing the top of her head. “I couldn’t have hoped for anyone better.”

As soon as she spoke, Shohei stood up. Beside him, he was aware of Kouki’s very confused glance but he recognised that tone from way back, when they had been together in his dorm, “Wh-What’s wrong?”

“The Electrical Room. Go, Shohei... And Kouki... you need to go, too.” Yukari paused and frowned, “How did I miss... Never mind.”

Kouki stood up as well, her mouth open to make some snappy retort, but before she could, she felt Shohei’s hand cup over her mouth. “Yukari, wh-what the fuck? Did something happen to you!?”

She chuckled and smirked, her icy eyes narrowed. But Shohei saw something else cross her gaze briefly and he watched as she lost her balance, collapsing to the ground. Kouki gave a sharp inhale as he ran forward, immediately rolling her over. He placed a hand over her chest, feeling slightly better as his hand moved with her breathing. “What happened?”

Shohei ran his hand over her head, where she had been rubbing, but it was normal. There was no sign of bruising or bumps forming. His eyes caught a slight dribble in the corner of her mouth and, opening it, he could see some blood, as if she’d coughed it up. “Wh-Wha...”

“Was she poisoned?” Kouki said, also noticing the blood. “If there are no other wounds--”

“No. She probably treated her own wounds and didn’t think about or even notice the blood she coughed up. Someone attacked her and whatever happened went down in the Electrical Room.” Shohei’s voice was surprisingly stable as he stood up and dragged Yukari’s limp body to a desk, propping her behind it, out of sight. After all, the last thing he wanted was for someone to come back and finish the job. “We need to go, Kouki.”

“F-Fine.” She stammered and got up. With a determined glance, she left the room, Shohei quickly following. They made it to the elevator, where she paused, “So you think... You think someone’s dead, then?”

“Yeah.” He muttered, stepping into the elevator, “Someone’s dead.”

“Someone’s... Someone’s dead.” Kouki repeated. When they reached the lower fourth floor, she hesitated. “The Electrical Room. The room in the back...”

They ran, each passing second feeling longer and longer until finally they reached the door. Right before he grabbed the knob, Shohei glanced at Kouki, “I-I’m gonna pass out.”

Her voice barely above a whisper, she responded, “...I know.” and he threw open the door.

There were no words for what they found in that room. A spear lay neatly next to what they had most dreaded. They couldn’t even take in the rest of the room and Kouki shuddered as she grabbed onto Shohei who went just as limp as Yukari had.

Haru Tanioto was dead.

Are we the protagonists of our own life? Some people would say yes, others would say no. It all depends on a case-by-case outlook. For instance, a ringmaster who spent his life in the limelight would be quicker to say yes than a hypnotist who thought nothing good of herself. And just so, would an artist trying to return to positivity than a cellist who ran from negativity answer this very question differently. However, in a collection like this; A documentation pieced together from many different accounts and testimonies; can you really look at it like that? In some ways, this is the telling of sixteen lives at once, and, with a collective like that, there really can be no one protagonist.

Kouki couldn't feel her fingers and her grip on Shohei tightened. Her face had gone as white as a ghost and she was having trouble determining just what emotion she was feeling.

Ding dong. Bing bong.

"A body has been discovered! If you are currently conscious and functioning, I suggest you come down to the Electrical Room to see for yourself! Now then, as always, after a certain amount of time has passed, the class trial will begin!"

Conscious. Kouki glanced down at the barista in her arms and narrowed her eyes. That's right. Yukari was in the Laboratory, probably still unconscious as well. With great effort, she dragged Shohei into the Electrical Room fully and propped him on the wall.

"I wondered... I wondered who I would find and..." Kouki turned her head to see Kanna, "I didn't expect... Damn it. I'm not sure what to say."

The prodigy genuinely seemed at a loss and Kouki lowered her head. Even without looking, footsteps told her that the others had arrived and she finally felt the sting of hot tears as it finally sunk in. This was reality. Haru was dead.

\---

Investigation: Begin.

\---

"Kanna, Kanna... I see the conflict on your face and I just want to let you know that it's okay if you don't feel like taking charge this time." Shigeru said as he approached Kanna.

"No, I can do it. But first," He turned around and Kouki could see, behind the group, Monokuma stood. "I think the bear wants to speak."

"Aw, I thought I could rely on you always using my name, perfection." Monokuma glowered, "But whatever! Old habits die hard and so I have walked all the way here just to say that the Monokuma File has been loaded onto your Monopads! It's as helpful as always, so I'm sure you'll find a use for it. Puhuhuhu!"

"Helpful as always? I do not understand. It is very vague and has lied to us before." Mei brought a finger to her lip as she pulled out her Monopad. "I have no doubt that this one will be any different."

"Kero..." Keroko shrugged sheepishly and then shook her head.

"Alrighty then. I have other business to attend to, so have fun, you lot!" Monokuma grinned and then added, "Oh, I hope you know, I'm only counting seven of you... Anyway, see ya later!"

"Quite lacking is the presence of the psychoanalyst, indeed..." Setsuka giggled, her grin widening, "Could it be? Perchance Yukari beheld the relics left behind by her melancholic song and absconded. An escape from the chilling touch of reality... Another phantom to grace her every methodical pirouette. With her choreography slipping, cracking, she fears the moment in which she must face us, candid at last."

"If you are finished, Setsuka. Let's talk about the matter at hand. This investigation." Kanna rose a hand. "This time, we do not have Marise nor Haru, which leaves Keroko and Kouki without a partner. And I'm sure Setsuka and Yukari, wherever she might be, still wish to conduct their own investigations. With this in mind, does anyone have a preference for a partner?"

"Actually... I know you've paired up with Shohei in the past, Kanna but..." Kouki awkwardly hesitated, wiping tears from her eyes, "Can we pair up?"

"Kero?" Keroko hopped over to Shohei, who still lay, unmoving, "Kero ke."

"It seems Keroko is alright with investigating with Shohei, so I'll accept. The rest of you?" Kanna turned toward the others.

"Kukuku... Niseko and I are sufficiently paired enough." Niseko looked up as Setsuka spoke and then scaled her master to sit on her shoulders, nodding. "Everyone! Do your best!"

Mei blinked as Setsuka left down the hallway and she turned toward Shigeru, "Fujioka. I wish to go to Tanioto's room. Is this alright?"

"Fine, fine. Fine by me." A small smile crossed the cosmetologist's lips, "I suppose that makes us a pair, Kanna. As it was before."

"Our numbers have really dwindled..." Kanna shook his head. "We don't know where Setsuka will investigate and I can only imagine what Yukari will do, so I guess that leaves us with this floor, Kouki. It's too much for one team, so we can divide it between us and Keroko and Shohei."

Seeing that they were no longer needed, Mei pulled at Shigeru's arm and led him out of the room.

Keroko lifted her head before frowning and jerking her head to slap her sticky tongue across Shohei's face. The barista yelped with a violent shudder as his eyes snapped open. He took a sharp inhale and then muttered, "S-So... That's real then..."

"Shohei, you and Keroko should investigate some of the other rooms on this floor," Kouki spoke, watching as he slowly nodded, "How about... The Purification Chamber and the Generator Room."

"O-Okay... Yeah. Is Keroko my partner th-this time?" When Keroko nodded, Shohei stood up, adjusting his apron, "I feel betrayed, Kanna. A-Anywho... I guess we don't have time to waste. Let's go, Kero."

"Kero." Keroko frowned as Shohei started to leave, "...Keroko."

As they exited, Kouki pulled out her Monopad as Kanna approached the body. "Right, so this says 'Injury to vital organs due to stabbing' just like it did with Nori. Time of death, 12:53 PM. Do you know what time it is, Kanna?"

"Around three o'clock. Probably a bit after." He answered, kneeling down. "As for the cause of death, I'd say the Monokuma File is accurate, if not a bit vague."

_ **Obtained Truth Bullet: Monokuma File #4** _

_ **Victim: Haru Tanioto** _

_ **Cause of Death: Injury to vital organs due to stabbing.** _

_ **Time of Death: 12:53 PM** _

"Looking at this... I'm trying my best but... Haru's really gone, isn't he?" Kouki hung her head, turning away from the corpse on the ground.

"Yeah. I know how you feel." Kanna sighed heavily, "The pain hasn't left me either and I'm not sure it ever will but... We need to move forward."

She nodded solemnly before taking in the room as a whole. Her eyes narrowed as they caught something odd and she tapped Kanna on the shoulder before pointing, "What... is that?" Her finger trailed across the room, following what looked to be sticks nailed to the wall, forming what almost looked to be a path, until it dropped off.

Kanna walked over to where the strange stick contraption ended and tested the stability of the nails. "There is a nail in the wall here, tied to some yarn, and finally... a knife."

"A knife?" Kouki narrowed her eyes and approached Kanna who held up what looked to be a garden knife, most likely from the shed. "But why would it be tied to the wall?"

Kanna crouched on the ground, picking up what looked to be a thick strand of rubber and a ball, "A rubber band and metal ball, both probably from the Supply Room."

"Oh yeah, I remember seeing balls like that. I always wondered what they were for. They'd make terrible paperweights after all." Kouki shook her head, "So then... Do you think this setup is some sort of... Rube Goldberg? If the ball rolled down this stick path and the knife was propped up, it might've hit that rubber band. But... Why?"

_ **Obtained Truth Bullet: Murder Setup** _

_ **Sticks were nailed to the wall. At the end of what looked to be a path lay a knife and a snapped rubber band.** _

"We'll likely figure that out as we go. But we need to investigate the body. I know you don't want to, but it has to be done." Kanna eyed the corpse, a quiet sorrow in his eyes. "Come on, Kouki."

She followed him over and felt the sting of tears once more. She felt her joints lock up as Kanna gingerly knelt down, careful not to let his cape touch the blood. "Th-The spear. Was that the murder weapon?"

Kanna lifted up the weapon. It was very simple, merely wood and metal, but sharp. The head and the top of the shaft were stained with blood. "If it went straight through the heart... Yeah. This probably did it."

"I've never seen a spear anywhere in this shelter. Where did it come from?" Kouki folded her arms in an attempt to stop her shivering.

"I... don't know. The best I can come up with is a room we haven't seen. In other words, someone's dorm room." Kanna answered, exhaling.

_ **Obtained Truth Bullet: Spear** _

_ **A bloody spear lay next to Haru's corpse. Where it came from is unknown.** _

"And the... The..." Kouki swallowed, her mouth dry, "The cello?"

"The very fact that it's here is odd in itself. I personally did not see Haru carry it out of his room once. However, his strap, though torn off the case, is here, too. Since no one but Haru can get into his dorm, he had to have been the one to bring it." Kanna concluded, "So where is the case?"

"The pieces of the cello... The parts that aren't s-sticking out of his body. They look like they've been arranged in some sort of order." Kouki hugged herself tighter, "And the bow is snapped, too."

"Almost, well, vaguely by size." Kanna gripped a shard of wood sticking out of Haru's arm and pulled it out before carefully setting it in between two other pieces, "I'll admit, if the context were different, I'd be impressed."

_ **Obtained Truth Bullet: Broken Cello** _

_ **Pieces of Haru's cello are neatly arranged near his corpse and his bow, snapped in half, was next to the spear.** _

"O-Okay, fine... We need to look at his body. I don't know the first thing about autopsies, though." Kouki shook her head.

"I'm not too knowledgeable either. I'm... not Amari. But we can do our best. First off, he was stabbed through the heart. Easy enough to see." Kanna's hand hovered over the hole as he was careful not to touch it, "And there are cuts from the pieces of the cello. However, I think it's safe to say that the killer stabbed them in rather than it being simple shrapnel."

"Shrapnel?" Kouki turned to look at Kanna. "What do you mean?"

"See how Haru was bleeding from the head? I'm gonna take a guess and say that he suffered a blow to the head, probably from the cello. Now, take note that the fragments are all in the front of his torso. How would they get there if the instrument shattered behind him? Furthermore, what do you notice about the bleeding?"

"From the fragments? There's hardly any... You think he was stabbed post-mortem with them, like Amari?" Kouki adjusted her necktie, "But wouldn't the bleeding still be minimal anyway since the fragments are still there?"

"Normally, yes. But look at his neck. There's a cut there without a fragment and still very little blood." Kanna waited until Kouki nodded in response before continuing, "There's one more conclusion I can draw from Haru's body. I don't think he was just hit from behind, but also stabbed."

"Oh... Is it because the puncture wound is smaller than the diameter of the spear?" Kouki asked, motioning toward the injury on his chest.

"Very good. Now... Ugh." Kanna hesitantly looked at his hands before undoing his cape and handing it to Kouki. He rolled up his sleeves as far as they would go and carefully rolled over Haru.

"Exactly... It's wider on this side. I get it." Kouki murmured, "But... If Haru was struck with the cello from behind, why wouldn't he turn around, Why would he be stabbed from there too?"

_ **Obtained Truth Bullet: State of Haru's Body** _

_ **There is an injury on the back of Haru's head, likely due to blunt force trauma. His heart was pierced from the back and nearly went all the way through his chest. Pieces of his cello were stabbed into his upper torso and arms, post-mortem.** _

"For that answer, we need not look further than his ankle." Kanna pointed to what looked to be a manacle, clasped around his ankle. He tugged on it, but it didn't move, being wedged into the ground, "I noticed when turning him over. The chain on this manacle is very short. Maybe Haru could've twisted his body, but completely turning around would require maneuvering around this chain. In other words, the killer would have moved faster than him in any situation."

"I see. But where would the killer get the manacle and how would they get it into the ground? Much less around Haru's ankle?" Kouki frowned. "I just don't get it."

"Perhaps we can find out something by inspecting this spike? How forcefully was it pushed in and--"

"I don't think we have time for that, Kanna. We'll just need to keep looking." Kouki stepped backward.

_ **Obtained Truth Bullet: Manacle** _

_ **Haru's right ankle was chained and wedged to the ground. Where the manacle came from is unknown.** _

"Right, sorry. I just... Sorry." Kanna stood up and shook his head. He perked up when he heard footsteps and, before he even turned, spoke, "Shohei?"

Shohei was standing in the doorway, Keroko crawling up behind him, "Y-Yeah. Hi. Keroko and I looked in the Generator Room and the Purification Chamber, b-but... There were literally no differences. Even that paint is still there, K-Kouki. So, we w-went to the Plumbing Room and the Boiler Room and... Well, no leaks-- er, leads."

"Kero..." Keroko added, but as no one could understand her, she refrained from saying more.

"A-Anyway... We're at a loss as to where to explore." Shohei looked at Kanna who was adjusting his ponytail. "Since Shigeru and Mei are in the d-dorms already... Well, er, any ideas?"

"We've found evidence that probably came from the Supply Room if you'd like to go there. Also a knife from the Shed." He answered. "It might be good to do a quick run over of those rooms."

"These sticks are almost definitely from the Arboretum." Kouki added, "But it'd take forever to search in there."

"We can t-try to get to as much as possible. Oh! I just remembered." Shohei suddenly looked up, "The Office Room. The motive! W-We should check to see if that c-computer is still there, Keroko."

"Kero. Koko!" She nodded excitedly and immediately began to hop off.

"See you later! P-Probably at the trial." Shohei smiled with determination, "W-We're not losing this time."

Kouki had moved to the other side of the room now and picked up what looked to be a slightly bloody mallet as she watched Shohei scramble after Keroko. The barista could truly befriend anyone, she noted, and then went back to what she was doing, "Could this have been used to pin down the manacle?"

When Kanna didn't respond, she turned to see him just outside the door, staring at something. When he heard her footsteps, the prodigy closed his fist and she could hear the crumpling of paper. He turned, his face pale and slightly damp, "Excuse me... I didn't hear you."

"Are you alright, Kanna?" Kouki bit her lip, concern crossing her brown eyes. "And before you say yes, I'm gonna call your bluff."

"The Blackened is taunting us. I... That was a paper with information on it that no one should know... No one except Amari. And Amari is gone. But the fact of the matter is that the Blackened found the information and is using that to psych me out." Kanna frowned, gritting his teeth, "And before _you _ask... No, I cannot tell you what it is. I..."

His voice trailed off and Kouki shook her head, "That paper. Do you think Shohei or Keroko dropped it?"

"I don't think so. Shohei was actually stepping on it. I don't think he noticed it... But I did. So I came to check and... I'm glad I did," His sentences felt broken to Kouki, but before she could comment, he took his cape back from her and changed the topic as he put it back on, "So, er... What were you saying?"

"Oh... I found a mallet and I was wondering if it could've been used to pin down the manacle." Kouki held it up, "I'm more worried about the blood though. It was nowhere near Haru..."

_ **Obtained Truth Bullet: Mallet** _

_ **A mallet with a minimal amount of blood lay on the ground, away from Haru's corpse.** _

"It'd still require a lot of strength to get that bolt through this hard stone," Kanna tapped the ground with the toe of his boot, "Where did you find it?"

Kouki led Kanna to the area she'd found it and stopped, "See the blood here, too..? There's... quite a bit. But there's no trail. Where did it come from?"

"Not Haru, probably," Kanna admitted. He ran his fingers through his ponytail and tilted his head in thought. It'd seemed like he'd regained his composure as he continued, "It could be the killer's blood, but if Haru was chained to the ground, how would he hit the killer all the way over here? It's possible he was chained afterward but... This elaborate setup convinces me otherwise."

"There is significantly less blood on the mallet than on the ground. I guess wherever they were hit was left bleeding for a while." Kouki added.

_ **Obtained Truth Bullet: Blood Splatter** _

_ **Near the mallet is some blood splatter. It seems removed from the rest of the blood.** _

"I merely needed to confirm it once more with my own eyes. But it seems my memory did not deceive me in this way. Deep down, I did not even acknowledge this outcome, and yet... Well, there's no denying it. I'm sending the bastard who did this straight to hell." Kouki's head snapped up at the voice and she turned to see the person she absolutely did not want to see.

"What the heck are you doing here?" Kouki growled as Yukari stepped into the room, but the psychoanalyst ignored her as she stared at the corpse.

"Kanna, love. I advise you to step away from that breaker." Yukari's voice was low and, without a word, Kanna did as she said. And Kouki's mouth gaped open as Yukari forcefully clenched a fist with a tortured yell and the breaker that Kanna had just been standing next to exploded. She took deep, heavy breaths, red smoke surrounding her hand and the breaker, which also smoked with suffocating black smoke. As she stared forward into space there was a hatred that burnt so bright, Kouki was left speechless.

Unable to bring herself to say anything, Kouki was surprised to hear Kanna speak up, "Take it as you will, Yukari, but you need to calm down. Surely as a psychologist, you understand why you feel this way." The artist swallowed at Kanna's show of bravery, apprehension making the hair on the back of her neck stand on end.

Yukari folded her arms, the smoke dispersing into the air, "Correct. Bottling up emotions is a good way to increase levels of stress-hormones. In that vein, it is nearly the same as if you were experiencing those negative emotions all the time. This moment was an overload to my brain and caused loss of rational thought, allowing all of those emotions to escape."

"Do you know who did this, then?" Kouki lowered her head, "You, the oh so great Yukari who knows everything. Who killed Haru, huh?"

"Don't be ridiculous. If I knew who did it, they would already be dead. With little more than my own confirmation, I would make them explode where they stand," She hissed, gripping her head, just as she'd done in the Laboratory, "Surely they know that there is no escape. Sooner or later I will figure it out."

"You've, er, demonstrated your capabilities of making things explode, but... Would you really go that far?" Kanna adjusted his collar once more and looked back at Yukari.

She strode to the wall past Kouki and picked up something laying on the ground between her thumb and forefinger, "Do not test me, Kanna. Here and now, I would have no qualms with creating a second Blackened."

She flicked what she was holding at Kanna and it flew with impossible aerodynamics. With a quick reaction, Kanna threw up his cape, catching the object. "I'd rather not know if you mean yourself or a repeat of Ami's trial." Kanna muttered as he pulled out what looked to be a toothpick tied to the same yarn as the knife. It was a rather long thread and Kouki frowned before looking to where it had come from. On the ground near the beginning of the stick setup, next to one that had fallen.

_ **Obtained Truth Bullet: Toothpick** _

_ **A toothpick tied to some yarn lay on the ground next to a rather long stick.** _

Yukari sighed before looking down at her hands. In a much calmer voice, she addressed Kanna and Kouki, "The cello case is haphazardly thrown into that back room. As for this crime scene, I am certain it was tampered with."

"Are you going to explain what happened to you? Why you passed out in the Laboratory?" Kouki held out a hand as Yukari started to move for the exit.

"I passed out due to blood loss." She answered quite simply. "As to how that occurred, I am not entirely sure, but I can make some educated guesses. Conclusions that you could draw, as well."

"You can't give us anymore than that? Haru is dead, you were injured, and you still aren't going to cooperate? Yukari, what the hell is wrong with you?" Kouki shouted, gritting her teeth until her gums hurt.

"If you killed Haru, would I want to cooperate with you? Likewise, if I killed Haru, would you really wish to cooperate with me? And do not forget, I have been the subject of your hatred for quite some time, Kouki. Surely you do not think that your emotions have no consequence." Yukari narrowed her icy eyes. To Kouki, it seemed as if the psychoanalyst were more malicious than usual. That she was unafraid to mess around with the other people surrounding her in order to achieve her goals. She then sighed once more, "I will spill as much blood as necessary in order to find out who did this. Giving my testimony would hardly be a price. It is not that I want to oppose you, but rather, I cannot fulfill your request. I know no more than you."

"In other words, you don't remember..? With how you are acting, it seems like you were hit in the head..." Kanna opened his mouth to say more, but apparently no words came up as he shut it again. He approached the bloodstain that was where the mallet had once been and furrowed his brow in thought.

"Correct. It all adds up, doesn't it? Whether you believe I am lying or not, the conclusion is the same. I have nothing to say. Since being hit, I have suffered from some temporary retrograde amnesia. Of course, I know what I was doing, but that is none of your business." She extended an arm and, as if by telekinesis, the spear flew into her hand. She stared at it for a moment before shaking her head and tossing it back down, "I am leaving now. Do not try to stop me again, Maekawa."

_ **Obtained Truth Bullet: Yukari's Account** _

_ **Yukari seems to have some form of retrograde amnesia after being struck in the head. She remembers what she was doing prior to being struck, but she refuses to explain what it was.** _

Kouki glanced at Kanna as Yukari left and he bit his lip, "Well, I found this which all but confirms that this bloodstain belongs to Yukari." He held up what looked to be a tiny hook. Threads dangled from it, red and white and, of course, Kouki recognised those colors as the same as Yukari's dress. "So Yukari was here at some point, possibly during the murder and was struck on the head with this mallet."

_ **Obtained Truth Bullet: Strings and Hook** _

_ **Some fabricky strings clinging to a small hook were found near the mallet. They are red and white in color.** _

"Which caused amnesia, or so she says. Placing Yukari at the crime scene makes her suspicious." Kouki grumbled, folding her arms.

"I'd say that as well, but her emotions don't reflect... Well... The intent to kill Haru doesn't seem like what her 'goal' that she kept talking about was." Kanna explained, shrugging.

"Let me remind you that she is a psychologist. Faking emotions is probably easy for her. Just put on a show of anger, blow up the breaker, and threaten people." Kouki argued, "And if you really want to believe that her emotions are real, then let's take that amnesia into account. Remember Ami? Remember how she didn't remember killing Nori? Let that sink in for a moment, Kanna."

"No need to be so harsh. I am keeping an open mind. It is possible that Yukari is the murderer and it is possible that she is not." Kanna inhaled before opening the door to the backroom, "Just as she said, the case is in here. Probably irrelevant, though. After all, it doesn't tell us anything we don't already know."

"She said the crime scene had been tampered with and... Yeah, it does look a little too neat. The way the fragments and the spear were arranged and the fact that everything seems to be in place... It looks like the Blackened is almost... showing off their work." Kouki admitted, stepping back to view the room as a whole.

"I said it before, I'll say it again. If the context were different, I'd be impressed. Perfection being used for murder, however... That idea repulses me." Kanna glared at Haru's corpse before turning toward the door. "I think we've run this room dry. At least... Well, we should keep moving. There are plenty of things I'd still like to investigate, but as it were, we have no time. We spoke to Shohei, Keroko, and Yukari, but I'd like to find Shigeru, Mei, and Setsuka as well to, ah, let's say... Judge their states of mind."

"I get it. Yeah, let's go. I have no idea where Setsuka is, but Shigeru and Mei should be in the dorms." Kouki nodded and led the way out.

There were no words to be said as they made their way into the elevator and finally, the top floor. Stepping out into the Dining Room, Kouki noticed an envelope on the nearest table. Picking it up, she looked at the contents and immediately frowned.

Test Results: Subject will be integrated into normal life. We will observe behavior and any changes in a different environment.

She folded up the paper and, feeling Kanna's gaze, she looked up at him. Feeling like there was nothing to hide, she wordlessly passed him the paper and headed for the hallway.

Kanna stuck the paper in his pocket after reading it which was just as well. Kouki didn't particularly want to put it in her paint holsters, so she didn't object to him holding it. With a sigh, she entered the Blue Hallway and knocked on the Yakyoku College Prep door. She wistfully gazed up at the demon crest until it opened, Shigeru facing her, "Ah, come in, Kouki. Kanna."

"So, it is Maekawa and Kanichi. I knew someone would arrive here." Mei greeted with a bow as she came into view. She was sitting on Haru's bed, looking through some sheet music, "I do not understand any of this, but it meant stuff to Tanioto. He played me some music and I enjoyed it, though it was a bit noisy. Regardless, as for clues, we have found none. Tanioto's instrument is missing, but it was in the Electrical Room."

"I was wondering since, in fact, the cello was out of place, we might find some hint as to why Haru brought it with him. But... We've turned up empty-handed." Shigeru hung his head. "We were about to move on, in fact."

"Move on?" Kanna asked, blinking his silver eyes, "Move on where?"

"Yes. I have something important to share. Before Tanioto was murdered, a couple days at least, I saw Hoshino's door open. However, when I entered to check, the lights were off and no one was inside. I do not know who opened Hoshino's door, but when I left, I shut it again." Mei brought a finger to her chin, "Now I wonder if the killer stole something from Hoshino's room. There were a lot of weapons, after all."

_ **Obtained Truth Bullet: Mei's Account** _

_ **Earlier in the week, Mei saw the door to Amari's dorm ajar. She went to look inside and didn't find anyone, so she left and shut the door behind her.** _

"Amari's room, you say?" Kanna bit his lip, "Very well. I will accompany you. Apologies, Kouki. As you can imagine, this is quite important to me."

"No, I... I understand. Let's go." Kouki settled her eyes on the small stage and inwardly sighed. If there was nothing here, nothing could be done about that. She could always come back after the trial.

Mei led the small group out into the Red Hallway and into the Akamine door without hesitation. "Hoshino's room is full of very technical stuff that I do not know how to use. Such as guns. I do not like guns. They do not allow for a fair fight."

"Or a manacle that is missing a cuff." Kouki muttered as it nearly immediately caught her eye, resting on Amari's bed. "Kanna, do you know if this has always been in here?"

"I... don't." He admitted, "This is the first time I've been in here, actually. So it's possible that this was left here, but... Why would the Blackened expect us to come here?"

_ **Truth Bullet Updated: Manacle** _

_ **Haru's right ankle was chained to the ground. The manacle most likely came from Amari's dorm room.** _

"I suppose you and Amari had not yet made it to that stage yet..." Shigeru sighed, "It breaks my heart to think about. We spent so long trying to fix things and those efforts had finally come to bear fruit before... Well. You know what I mean to say, no?"

"Fujioka, I have found an envelope." Mei said, waving the aforementioned item around.

"Mei, please do not read it aloud." Kanna held up an arm, "Kouki and I have both found similar envelopes, both with information that, perhaps, at least one person in the shelter would not wish to be common knowledge."

"I understand." She opened the envelope and squinted, "But... I do not understand. It seems important but... Normally, when I do not understand something, I ask someone for help."

"Ah, fine, fine. Allow me, Mei." Shigeru took the paper from Mei's hand and scanned it. "No, no, Kanna, I think this warrants saying. '1,032 dead as mysterious explosion destroys Okinawa high school. Officials say it was most likely due to a gas leak. High traces of propane was found in the air. There are no documented survivors and most bodies were identified.' I have... never heard of such an event... How can this be?"

"Was it covered up?" Kouki offered, "Still, an entire school being wiped out... Even if it was somewhere like Okinawa... How could that stay a secret?"

"Information like this... It seems to me like they're being left by the Blackened. After all, the motive." Kanna added, "But who is this one in reference to?"

"Excuse me. What is propane?" Mei asked, folding her arms, "I have not heard of it before."

"It's a gas. People use it to light fires, but in high concentration, it can become very dangerous." Kanna explained, shaking his head, "If this was the result of a gas buildup, why is it here? The only person of whom we don't know the original high school is... Yukari."

"That's right. Even her door doesn't give us a clue. But this article says that there are no survivors." Kouki began to mess with her necktie and looked over to Shigeru who was meekly holding up a hand, "Uh, Shigeru?"

"Sorry, it's just... Doesn't this entire story seem a bit fishy to you? We are being left clues by the Blackened apparently and this one makes very little sense. There'd be no need to leave it if it was unrelated completely and the only one who could fit this is Yukari, no? But, as Kouki mentioned, there were no documented survivors. It is possible that she escaped and remained under the radar but... I can't get over the fact that nobody knew about this." He nervously glanced down at the paper, "Can we even confirm anything? Is it even the Blackened leaving these envelopes?"

"I... I can confirm it." Kanna winced. His hand was clenched into a tight fist, "Not this one. Not this mysterious school but... The one I found on the lower fourth floor. I'm sorry, I refuse to share it, but I can confirm that it is a well-guarded secret of mine. Whoever left it has done their homework."

"So we must not overlook this, but... We also must not take it for granted? I think I understand..." Mei nodded slowly, "It's either from the killer or from Nagakage. If they are not one in the same."

_ **Obtained Truth Bullet: Monokuma's Motive** _

_ **The motive of promised information was utilised by the killer as envelopes containing information have been found around the shelter.** _

"So, the killer probably came in here to grab the manacle. I think that's probably all we can confirm." Kouki sighed, "So, now what?"

Mei made her way to the door and carefully opened it. Peeking her head around the corner, she immediately drew her wakizashi and took a defensive stance, before relaxing, "I-I apologise. You startled me."

Walking over to see the commotion, Kouki peered out the door to see Setsuka leaning against the wall, "I watched as a flock traversed to an area unexpected to me. I followed, but wished not to violate the amicable echoes as I do not hold a shred of mystification. I am untrusted in this environment."

"You waited until we left? Do you need something?" Mei sheathed her blade, but yelped as Niseko jumped from Setsuka's head onto Mei's shoulder.

"An affirmative claim. As I can glean from the possession of Shigeru, you, too, have stumbled upon leakage from the Blackened. Such as this, I, too, hold knowledge in a physical form," Setsuka spun an envelope on her finger tip with such balance that Kouki was impressed. "The contents I shall leave you with."

With a flick of her wrist, the doll maker flung it into Mei's hands. As the ninja began to reach inside, she was interrupted.

Ding dong. Bing bong.

"I've gotten quite bored. The issue with four floors is that no one really knows what they're doing and that's not as fun to watch as I thought it would be... So! Come on over to the Dining Hall and let's get this party started!"

The ninja watched as Setsuka spun on her heel, Niseko leaping back to her master and, looking very conflicted, brought her gaze back to the envelope in her hand. "I shall open it on the way." And with that, Mei followed where Setsuka had gone.

Kouki tightened her fist, looking up at Kanna, as she began to walk, "I stand by what I've said. Yukari and Setsuka are the most suspicious ones here. Why would Setsuka suddenly feel the need to hand off one of the envelopes to us?"

"I agree that we can't overlook that, but it's too early to jump to conclusions. We haven't even arrived at the trial ground yet." He answered. Beside him, Shigeru stretched his arms and nodded in agreement.

It, of course, didn't take long for them to arrive in the Dining Hall. Setsuka was waiting there, standing near the elevator, and Mei looked to be investigating the elevator door itself. Next to arrive were Shohei and Keroko, the former awkwardly scratching the back of his head. Finally, after a few moments of waiting, Yukari entered the room. Surprisingly, she carried with her a smug smirk, contrasting with her earlier outburst.

"Man, I'm running out of SRS fun facts... Okay then, there's only one floor you haven't seen! How about that?" Monokuma's voice came from below until he popped out of the floor in front of Yukari, "Man, what am I gonna do after this? I'll have no more floors to open! Plus, I have to fix the lights on that floor..."

"How sad." Kouki muttered, folding her arms, "We're here. Someone's dead. What now, a trial? This routine is getting old, Monokuma."

"Old, you say? The driving force behind you lots' deductions is gone now. With that in mind, I think this time will make for quite the interesting trial." Monokuma licked his muzzle before extending his claws, "It's time I go on out to prepare. Head on into the elevator, if you please. If you don't please... Ah, who am I kidding? Puhuhuhuhu!"

Monokuma waddled past Yukari, who merely kicked herself over Monokuma before doing a gravity-defying flip to land on a table behind her. It surprised no one by this point and she joined the group as they entered the elevator.

As she'd noted before, the group had been halved. The oppressive air weighed down on Kouki's shoulders and she shook her head. The melody of hope had once again vanished, replaced by the white noise of discord and despair. But she couldn't give up. She had to win. This was the one trial she absolutely could not lose.

Once the elevator came to a stop, Kouki resumed her position at her podium, the podium between where Amari and Yamato had once stood. Looking to one side, she saw Marise's portrait, ripped in half, but held in place by the frame. On the other was Haru's, crossed out by what she recognised as a rest symbol. She shut her eyes for a brief moment before hearing Monokuma's voice.

"I want to start with a basic explanation of the class trial. During the class trial, you will present your arguments for who the blackened is, and--"

"Please shut up." The one who'd spoken was Yukari. She wasn't even facing the group, instead turned outward. "This trial might be fresh and interesting, but your stale monologue isn't."

Monokuma didn't respond, emptily staring out from atop his chair.

"Then it's my turn. I am certain I can recall your monotonous words." Yukari turned around, a malicious grin on her face, "Now then, who did it?

The Perfect Paragon from the Heavens, Kanna Kanichi?  
The Transformation of the Mirror World, Shigeru Fujioka?  
The Inspiring Beam of Seven Colors, Kouki Maekawa?  
The Embodiment of Suppressed Energy, Shohei Takanichi?  
The Crimson-Colored Puppeteer, Setsuka?  
The Girl of Land and Water, Keroko?  
The Resolute Hitwoman of All, Mei Meiyo?  
Or I, the Unpredictable Executioner of Chaos, Yukari Nagakage?

Who killed Haru Tanioto?"

"It is somehow no better when you deliver it, Yukari. I am... slightly... morbidly curious. Slightly, slightly!" Shigeru looked up at Monokuma. "As to the titles of Haru and Marise."

"Am I allowed to speak now?" Monokuma looked around and then grinned a toothy grin, "The Inert Whirlwind of Fire, Marise Kita, and the Song Unspoken by Emotion, Haru Tanioto! Alright, carry on!"

"Jeez, where do we even start?" Kanna rubbed his head before sighing, "I think we should lay out facts before we start accusing, so... perhaps we should talk about the body."

"The body... This whole trial is going to be uncomfortable..." Kouki hung her head, reaching to grab a jar of paint, she sighed.

_Nonstop Debate: Start!  
Truth Bullet: Mallet_

MEI: I did not get a close look at the body.  
SHIGERU: Neither did I, neither did I.  
KANNA: According to the Monokuma File, Haru died from an injury to a vital organ.  
MEI: Just as Sasaki did.  
KANNA: Anyone who even glimpsed the body could see what the murder weapon was.  
MEI: There was a spear next to Tanioto's body. Is this correct?  
NISEKO: Does the Monokuma File say what kind of injury it was?  
NISEKO: Because whether it's a puncture wound or something else...  
NISEKO: That could change things, right?  
SETSUKA: I believe the inquiry in question is this.  
SETSUKA: Was an item of doom other than the spear in proximity?  
KANNA: There was a mallet at the scene, but other than that...  
MEI: There was bleeding from Tanioto's head.  
_MEI: A mallet could have been used._  
SHIGERU: Now that you mention it...

"No, that's wrong!" Kouki yelped and then paused. It was a long, awkward pause and Mei curiously looked at her. How could Haru have done this so often and not been crushed under the expectant gazes, "The... The mallet. I don't think it touched Haru at all. After all, it was off to the side and there are more likely weapons than the mallet."

"More likely weapons? I understand that the spear likely pierced Tanioto, but did it also cause the injury on his head?" Mei brought a finger to her lip, "A spear would not be good for that type of injury."

"It wasn't the spear that caused Haru's head injury." Kanna shook his head, "But the spear definitely pierced him through the heart. The vital organ in question."

"If not for hitting Haru, what exactly was the mallet used for?" Shigeru asked, a frown crossing his face.

Kouki drew her gaze over to Yukari, noticing Kanna do the same. She blinked for a moment and then raised a single finger, "Whether a mallet struck me on the head or not, I cannot say for certain. Regardless, there was once an injury and there is a mallet. It is only natural to put two and two together."

"Someone hit... Nagakage?" Mei furrowed her brow, "Impossible. I have fought her myself and I only barely landed a blow. For someone to wield such an... an awkward weapon. No, this is impossible."

"Kero. Ko kero ko kerere... Kero ko ko kereko?" Keroko cocked her head at Yukari, blinking her large red eyes.

"'Right. So instead of focusing on that... Who could possibly hurt Yukari?'" She translated and then placed her hands on her podium with a peaceful expression, saying nothing more.

"Well... I guess..." Kouki hesitated, "It's hard to imagine Yukari getting caught off-guard by anyone. It is true that, in the past, she has been 'beaten' or even injured, but... Something as drastic as a mallet to the head is much harder to execute than a shoe to the face."

"Rather than be it... The psychoanalyst allows herself to suffer consequence. For indeed she has graced me with abilities to subdue her. Yet... Should it be so that her life be endangered, there is no shadow in my mind that she would summon her mystical force to aid her." With a swipe of her hand, the dollmaker drew a string across Niseko as if in demonstration, entangling her. The doll pulled against the thin, near invisible bonds in vain before giving up and staring up at Setsuka.

"Ah, yes. There is one tiny detail that may or may not be helpful," Yukari perked up, "That is... The mallet was not being held by a person when I was hit."

"It... What?" Shohei gripped his podium and then took a moment in thought, "So... It was thrown? Or it fell? Or something... e-else?"

"Something like that," She waved dismissively. "I must wonder, myself, if it was merely an accident."

"Kero..." Keroko shook her head and, as there was no translation necessary, Yukari remained silent.

"We've really strayed far from the topic of Haru's body," Niseko mumbled and, seeing that the doll was still tangled, Setsuka swiped her nails across the string, snapping it, "Phew. Anyway, the mallet hit Yukari, not Haru. What caused the injury on his head?"

That would be...

"His cello. Haru was struck in the back of his head with his cello." Kouki grimaced as she said it.

"Tanioto told me that his instrument was not a weapon, however, he was still hit with it..." Mei noted, looking quite downcast, "But I am confused, Maekawa. If Tanioto was hit with his instrument and also stabbed with the spear... Would he not have tried to run? Why did Tanioto take both attacks?"

_Nonstop Debate: Start!  
Truth Bullet: Manacle_

KEROKO: Kero... Koke kore korero?  
YUKARI: 'So... Why didn't he move?'  
KEROKO: Kore kero ko ko, keroko kore reko re. Reko ko rokoko?  
YUKARI: 'If he was stabbed first, it'd be hard to run. But then why hit him?'  
SHIGERU: I agree, I agree. So, the logical assumption is that he was hit first.  
KANNA: The amount of blood from his head attests to that.  
_SHOHEI: Could something have prevented him f-from running?_  
MEI: Something to stop a target from escaping... Yes.  
MEI: I believe we found something like that.  
SETSUKA: Like a frightened doe, bewildered upon belief...  
NISEKO: Er... Master is saying that trapping Haru is possible!

"I agree with that!" Kouki said in response to Shohei. This time, she gathered herself quicker, "At the crime scene, attached to Haru's ankle, there was half of a manacle, bolted into the ground. With that restricting Haru's movement, eventually... He would've attained whatever injury the killer meant to deal."

"A m-manacle? On his... ankle?" Shohei scratched the back of his head, "I'm h-having a bit of trouble understanding wh-why, exactly, Haru wouldn't notice something like that."

"Normally, I would say that requires an inordinate amount of stealth but, hm." Shigeru shook his head, "Among us, we have a ninja, who specialises in stealth, Keroko, who is small and can avoid detection, immaculate perfection, Setsuka and Niseko who work unparalleled together, and, of course, Yukari with her supernatural abilities. With no disrespect intended to myself, Kouki, and Shohei, I can come up with ways for any of these five to apprehend Haru long enough to chain him."

"Y-Yeah, but we shouldn't use that as the end all, be all." Shohei added, "Because I think w-we're overlooking a very real possibility. Haru was h-hit in the head, right? What if he was just... knocked out?"

"Oh! Then chaining him up would be easy! And so would stabbing him." Niseko clapped her hands together, "Wait, but... Why chain him up at all?"

"Th-That's true... The pieces we have don't exactly fit..." Shohei pursed his lips, "Wh-What else can we go through."

"Why not the motive?" Kouki turned her head to see Yukari, reclining against her podium, "I do believe I brought up the possible importance that it may hold when we first received it."

_Nonstop Debate: Start!  
Truth Bullet: Monokuma's Motive_

YUKARI: I brought up the fact that this motive is targeted at two people.  
SETSUKA: You and I...  
YUKARI: Correct! Now if you take that into account along with what we know..?  
SETSUKA: Suspicion falls to the psychoanalyst and the dollmaker.  
SHOHEI: But! Th-The motive could also have been exploited.  
SHOHEI: If someone h-had no desire to live... This motive would be perfect.  
MEI: Is that so? Then the suspicion we have should be targeted at Nagakage!  
MEI: After all... Setsuka has something in her life to live for.  
MEI: Nagakage has been prepared to lay down her life.  
SHIGERU: ...What?  
MEI: Am I wrong, Nagakage?  
YUKARI: Not entirely.  
_MEI: So the most suspicious person is Nagakage. No one else._  
YUKARI: Hmhmhm!

"No, that's wrong!" With a fluid motion, Kouki grabbed a jar of paint and slammed it against her podium, sending shattered glass flying, "I can't believe I'm defending Yukari... Ugh. Yukari has shown signs of not being entirely alright in the head since this murder occured. Why is that, Mei?"

"Nagakage was attacked. We have gone over this." Mei answered simply.

"Right. And I have reason to believe that she may be suffering from a temporary amnesia. The reason she brought up the mallet not being held so late is because she didn't remember until just then." Kouki explained. After a brief pause, she continued, "I doubt someone who has gaps like that in their memory would utilise the moment the way this Blackened has."

"Utilise..?" Mei repeated. "What do you mean."

"Do you suggest the concealed within paper? The envelopes?" Setsuka grinned, "Because Yukari's recollection fogged over as does a midsummer morning, had she intent to forsake Haru, she'd yet not draw assistance from the motive. As does her memory not attest to the incident?"

"Uh... Right. Yukari's memories are... foggy. If she killed Haru, she probably would not be in the right state of mind to leave behind those secrets. Especially since she was unconscious for half of the investigation." Kouki concluded.

"Kero ko, kore kore?" Keroko pointed at Setsuka, her eyes narrowing.

"You pose such malevolence in my direction, I can only assume your speech is that of accusation." Setsuka began to stroke Niseko on the head, like a cat.

"If Yukari has been eliminated, the suspicion does fall to you, Setsuka." Kanna shrugged, "If we are going by the motive, at least."

"Kanna, didn't you mention that the Blackened was taunting us with the envelopes or something to that effect?" Kouki began to pick at the drying paint before looking up at Setsuka, "Taunting people and teasing... That sounds like your style, doesn't it, Setsuka?"

_ **"DON'T DANCE ON STRINGS!"** _

"Kukuku! Posing such a preposterous claim... You disconcert me with chatter so mindlessly unavailing!" Setsuka shrieked before descending into more giggling. "I fear you miss the consideration that the dear psychologist's code winds down to."

"Oh boy. This is going to be... something." Kouki said under her breath. She then spoke up, "If you have a reason to suspect Yukari over yourself, I'm all ears, Setsuka."

Niseko looked between the two with what could almost be called bewilderment before shrinking back, away from Setsuka. "Master..? I want to help but--"

"Silence for now, my child. Your services are unrequested for this debate."

_Rebuttal Showdown!  
Truth Bullet: Blood Splatter_

SETSUKA: 'Twas the moment when lines connected...  
SETSUKA: The moment in which your tone met my ear.  
SETSUKA: I shall unveil the faults in your speech.  
SETSUKA: For, my dear Kouki, there are many.  
SETSUKA: Assuming I to be dishonest.  
SETSUKA: Shame does not sit here.  
SETSUKA: For I am irregular.  
SETSUKA: Whether though, to be blissfully ignorant of others.  
SETSUKA: Herein lies your misguidance.  
SETSUKA: A motive is not the monopoly of mistrust.  
SETSUKA: For puppets kill for the superficial.  
SETSUKA: Why should my lust prove more damning than all?

_Advance!_

KOUKI: I'm gonna put you on hold while I untangle your words.  
KOUKI: What you're saying is that the motive is irrelevant, right?  
KOUKI: Okay, sure. Let's talk morality then.  
KOUKI: After everything, motive aside, you are still the most suspicious.  
SETSUKA: I have proven spite for Renako alone.  
SETSUKA: For those who I held distaste... I have not slain.  
SETSUKA: I harbored no grudge toward Haru.  
SETSUKA: Miss Marise's ill intent toward my child grew closer.  
SETSUKA: Yet, I made no move against her.  
SETSUKA: I despise Yukari. This is perceptible.  
SETSUKA: Has it crossed you yet, my earlier claim?  
SETSUKA: The code of the psychologist.  
SETSUKA: It is ironic that, not I, though she plays you on strings.  
SETSUKA: Ironic that the stringed musician is her canvas.  
SETSUKA: A large cycle... Yes.  
_SETSUKA: Has it crossed you that this curtain has been strung by Yukari?_  
SETSUKA: Or are you merely blind as her dear phantom was?  
SETSUKA: Kukuku, play not the fool, child of the river.

"I will cut through your words!" Kouki grit her teeth at the thought of what she was about to argue. Despite her personal hatred, she would rather protect everyone else than let Yukari take the fall. "Setsuka, did you investigate the crime scene? If you did, then you would have noticed that there was a large bloodstain, removed from Haru's."

"Ah? That bears no relevance to my asseveration." Setsuka tapped a nail on her podium, dismissively.

"On the contrary, let's pretend like you didn't run away from the crime scene and instead took a moment to think about it. Why would that bloodstain be there? If it's not Haru's blood, then whose?" Kouki kept a firm face despite Setsuka smile vanishing.

"The killer's, evidently." She responded, "So as to that end, Yukari is thrust into suspicion once more."

"So you agree, then, that the blood is Yukari's?" Kouki smirked, "Perfect. Then... Just how is she fabricating this injury if her blood is, in fact, at the crime scene?"

"...What?" Setsuka tilted her head, "A blockade arises. A contradiction. The killer's blood stains the scene, the blood is Yukari's. Yet... Because of this very fact, the killer cannot be she? Explain to me the solution to such a hollow riddle."

"Wait... Maybe if..." Niseko stood up and glanced at Setsuka, "She was there and then... left?"

"Impossible! For this accused had such so-called attachments to the deceased. To leave his side..? Kukuku!" Setsuka answered the doll with a grin once more.

Or perhaps Niseko had a point. Kouki shut her eyes to lose herself in the confines of her mind. It was time to think.

_Logic Dive!_

_Question 1: Who was injured by the mallet?_

_A. Haru Tanioto  
B. Yukari Nagakage  
C. Setsuka_

_Question 2: When did Yukari leave the crime scene?_

_A. Directly after Haru's death.  
B. Directly before the Body Discovery Announcement.  
C. Prior to Haru's death._

_Question 3: Why couldn't Haru have hit Yukari?_

_A. He was unconscious.  
B. He was already dead.  
C. He was restrained._

_Question 4: Who hit Yukari?_

_A. Herself  
B. Haru Tanioto  
C. A third person_

_Logic Dive Complete!_

_Results  
Question 1: B  
Question 2: B  
Question 3: C  
Question 4: C_

"Things are starting to connect!" Kouki gripped another jar, popping off the lid, "If we take into account that Yukari was hit at the crime scene and that she is the killer, then something big is naturally assumed. That assumption is that Haru is the one who hit her. However, Haru was chained up and couldn't move nearly close enough. A good strike on the head from a mallet would down anyone, at least temporarily."

"S-So... If Haru wasn't the one to hit Yukari, but she was at the crime scene... There was a third person involved? The person who actually did hit Yukari?" Shohei rubbed his head looking very confused, "Why couldn't she have hit herself? Take th-this scenario. Yukari kills H-Haru and... unable to live with the g-guilt, strikes herself and causes amnesia!"

"Shohei. Remind me what are in the envelopes?" Kouki blinked, dipping a finger into her paint.

"Uhh... I... I h-haven't exactly seen one." His teeth chattering, he bit his lip.

"Secrets, presumably from the motive." Shigeru answered, shooting an expression of pity at Shohei.

"Right. Okay, this one you should be able to answer, Shohei." Kouki rested the jar on her podium and folded her arms, "When we saw Yukari, right before the Body Discovery Announcement, what exactly happened?"

"Sh-She passed out. I can remember that, thank you v-very much, Kouki." Shohei grumbled, "In fact, what you're going to say is that b-because of the timing, Yukari couldn't have gathered all of those secrets, right?"

"Yes, yes I am. And Kanna can testify to this. The secret outside of the Electrical Room, at least, was there before Yukari arrived back at the crime scene. In fact, she was still unconscious." Kouki answered, nodding as she spoke.

"Kero?" Keroko tilted her head at Shohei, simulating typing.

"Oh, right. The computer, while it wasn't missing entirely, was definitely used." Shohei rubbed the back of his head, "It does seem like it's s-stretching the truth a b-bit to assume Yukari is the Blackened."

"Very well, then. Nagakage has been eliminated? You fail to take into account her trickery. Her smoke!" Mei answered.

"This has gone on long enough. I will point your finger for you, Kouki. As stellar as a job you are doing, it seems that your words go unheard." Yukari was sitting on top of her podium, "Mei Meiyo. Would I, the nogitsune so full of tricks, resort to mere sticks to murder Haru?"

"Sticks?" Mei furrowed her brow, "I do not understand."

"I believe it is time we went over the murder itself. Yes... Perhaps in that lies my innocence." Yukari shut her eyes, giving a simple sigh.

_Class Trial: Intermission_

_\---_

_Class Trial: Resume_

"Th-The murder plan, huh? How many people actually saw the set-up?" Shohei glanced around and when no one spoke up, he sighed, "Just Kouki and Kanna?"

"Well, we were assigned there, so I can't say I'm too surprised." Kouki answered, her gaze lingering on Kanna, "Although, obviously Yukari knows about it, too. And if the killer isn't her or Kanna, then the killer does, as well."

"It's too late in the game to hope that someone slips up and speaks about what they shouldn't know..." Shigeru shook his head. "Too late, too late..."

"Not necessarily. Maybe we can draw it out." Niseko nodded as she spoke, "Er, for instance, if you're vague about the murder, maybe someone will subconsciously fill in a detail."

"Subconsciously...?" Setsuka tilted her head downward, "Kukuku..."

"Well, if we want to go through the murder itself, the setup was deceptively complex. For something that was made from sticks and nails, things needed to be quite precise," Yukari held a long stick in her hands that Kouki hadn't noticed her grab and began to twirl it like a baton. "Yet, I only know of the aftermath. I cannot trust my own thoughts. So! Let's break this down."

"Sticks and nails. I do not imagine they were used as weapons, so how were they used?" Mei asked, her eyes trained on Yukari's hand.

Kanna grit his teeth, "The sticks were set up in a very unique way. Along the walls. I do wish I could have tested the stability. Perhaps run some tests..."

Rolling her eyes, Kouki began to block out Kanna's voice to do her own bit of thinking. The sticks were obviously used as...

_Hangman's Gambit: Ver.Sub_

FOD**_R_**GKSZF**_A_**FOR**_I_**GJTES**_L_**DFVG**_S_**DA

"Understood!" Kouki slammed her fist into her palm, "I think the sticks stood out like a sore thumb, being tacked onto the walls."

"Tacky, you could say?" Shohei smirked and Kouki narrowed her eyes.

"From the other things at the crime scene, I can only suppose that these sticks were used as rails of some sort. To guide something to another place." She continued, choosing to ignore Shohei's giggling.

"Kero ke ko reko re kore keroko koko kore, koreke roko koreko kero koro reko re?" Keroko scratched her head.

"'So everything had to be precise because if one stick was off, this object couldn't get where it needed to go?' That's right. You could call this murder a Rube Goldberg machine. Something ran along those rails and hit something else, activating a mechanism." Yukari explained. "A Rube Goldberg must be incredibly precise."

"I do not know what a Rube Goldberg is, but you seem very sure after claiming to not remember anything." Mei folded her arms, "Why is this, Yukari?"

_Nonstop Debate  
Truth Bullet: Murder Setup_

MEI: Fancy name or not, you are so certain of what this is.  
MEI: Because of that, I am unconvinced, myself.  
YUKARI: One merely needs a glance at the state of the crime scene...  
YUKARI: As well as knowledge as to what a Rube Goldberg is.  
SHIGERU: You are doing an awful lot of telling and not explaining.  
KANNA: Allow me. A Rube Goldberg is an elaborate setup with one goal.  
KANNA: It requires multiple parts activated in succession.  
SETSUKA: One envisions such a goal as trivial.  
SETSUKA: Yet this goal was extinction.  
SETSUKA: Kukuku... Such an impracticality for impractical motivation...  
_MEI: How does this fit? All I have heard of are sticks and nails._  
MEI: I do not see any succession.

"No, that's wrong!" Kouki frowned as she spoke and then hesitated, "Sticks, nails, a ball, yarn, a rubber band, and a knife. These were all of the things used. The mallet was also at the scene as well as a toothpick. There is plenty of material here to work with."

"I see. If you are so convinced..." Mei pulled at her jacket before blinking, "Then the killer is Kanichi!"

Kanna winced as his name was said, but he merely sighed, "It was bound to come up at some point. A perfectly positioned murder like this... Who better to suspect than I?"

"Ultimate Perfection! You could pull off something like this easily." Mei continued, "I cannot speak for anyone else, but I do not think I could do what I am being told was done. Kanichi, did you kill Tantioto?"

"Evidence speaks louder than words. Or rather, words are silent." Kanna bit his lip, "I can deny your claim all I want, but the fact of the matter is... I need to come up with evidence to prove that it wasn't me."

"Sufficient more is evidence to combat another. Surmise the reaper to be another and therein lies your security... Does it not?" Setsuka's voice was quiet and her smile sly. Kouki couldn't tell whether the doll maker was genuinely advising Kanna or mocking him.

"D-Do you have evidence, then, Kanna?" Shohei asked, rather meekly. He adjusted his apron uncomfortably, "You've... You've gotta, right?"

"I do not." He conceded, shaking his head. He pursed his lips and spoke again, "So, if I may... I request we continue going through the evidence and the contraption itself."

"Hm. I think you could make a valid argument if you tried harder, Kanna." Yukari blinked, her gaze boring into Kanna, but the prodigy didn't flinch.

"I agree with Kanna. We should go through the Rube Goldberg itself," Kouki worriedly glanced at Kanna, his earlier words ringing in her mind, 'If the context were different, I'd be impressed.' Something about that struck her as off, but she couldn't put her finger on why. When no one responded, she hissed under her breath, "Alright then... _I'll_ go through the Rube Goldberg, then."

She shut her eyes... And began to think.

_Logic Dive!_

_Question 1: How were the sticks nailed to the wall used?_

_A. As railing for the ball.  
B. As a guide for the spear.  
C. As decoration._

_Question 2: What happened when the ball reached the end of the track?_

_A. It fell to the ground.  
B. It snapped the rubber band.  
C. It collided with the knife._

_Question 3: What was the purpose of the knife?_

_A. Being the murder weapon.  
B. Cutting the rubber band.  
C. Dislodging the toothpick._

_Question 4: What was the rubber band used for?_

_A. Slinging the murder weapon.  
B. Holding down the mallet.  
C. Tying the sticks together._

_Logic Dive Complete!_

_Results  
Question 1: A  
Question 2: C  
Question 3: B  
Question 4: A_

"Things are starting to connect!" Kouki lifted her eyes, "I think I've got a grasp on how exactly the mechanism functioned. The ball rolled down the railing made by sticks until it hit the knife, which was propped up against the last stick, which was on the opposite end of the room. The knife needed to have the proper speed, but with that, it would have snapped the rubber band which was holding back the murder weapon, AKA, the spear. I'd normally have trouble believing a rubber band to be able to hold that much potential energy and it was a really large band to boot. Besides, with everything as calculated as it was, the killer would have accounted for that."

"So, what exactly triggered the Rube Goldberg to go off?" Shigeru scratched his neck, "Was it the killer themselves or something else?"

"The setup had to have been there for a reason," Kouki explained, "So, I'm gonna say that the killer wouldn't have wanted to even touch the mechanism."

"The only one who could possibly know is Nagakage." Mei frowned. "But Nagakage does not remember."

"Kero, ko kero ko ko?" Keroko rubbed one of her buns with a glance at Kouki.

"'Well, was there evidence?'" Yukari translated and then added, "I assume she means for the killer not touching the mechanism."

"Well, first... You look like you have something you want to say." Kouki observed and Yukari smiled.

"Right! Well. I think the thing that was meant to trigger the trap was... Well... Me." She frowned and raised an arm to look at her sleeve, "I did find a tiny, but odd, hole in my sleeve. Do you know where that came from, Kouki?"

Kouki sighed. Normally, she'd counter Yukari's prompting, but there was no time for that. Besides, it wasn't like she didn't know. It was...

"The strings at the crime scene... Fabric strings. They were connected to a hook and..."

There was one other thing. That was...

"And right where the Rube Goldberg would have started, you found a toothpick, didn't you? Lying near a stick. The stick was loose and the toothpick was tied to yarn. Maybe the toothpick was initially tied to that hook with the yarn and somehow snagged in your sleeve," Kouki suggested, "The stick must've been used to hold the ball in place so... Moving meant dislodging the toothpick and activating the trap."

"Right! I am glad you came to that conclusion because, you see, that is what I remember. I was standing in the Electrical Room in a precarious position. To my left was that toothpick. Above me, a mallet. And moving... meant..." She hesitated, "I believe it meant both activating the trap and causing the mallet to fall. This is so bothersome. Not being able to trust myself..."

"At this point, we need all of the evidence we can get." Kanna adjusted his collar.

Shigeru nervously looked to the side, "Even if that evidence is built on such shaky foundations? I think we should probably take more caution."

"I agree with Fujioka. Nagakage is unreliable." Mei added very simply.

"But Kouki just came t-to that same conclusion... Wait. This is going to be--"

_ **"THIS IS A PERFECTLY EVEN DEBATE!"** _

"Ahahahahaha!" Monokuma began to cackle, his teeth glinting in the light.

"Damn it. I-I knew it." Shohei concluded. "Another one of these."

"You got it! We can speed up this unresolved argument with my tried and true method!" Monokuma grinned.

Kouki felt her podium move beneath her and she took a deep breath. She was staring into Mei's angry red gaze and, bitterly, the artist looked off to the side. She was only arguing this because she had to.

_Split Opinion  
Are Yukari's memories correct?_

SHIGERU: It seems like an unreliable method to **trust** an amnesiac.  
KANNA: The core of any argument is **trust**. We have nothing else.

KEROKO: Kero ko keroko ko ko kore reko reko. (There has to be a **better** way of going about this.)  
SHOHEI: You can't get any **better** th-than someone who was at the scene!

MEI: I do not **understand** much. Amnesia is similar to this and, therefore, untrustworthy.  
YUKARI: What we **understand** once is forever sealed in the unconscious.

SETSUKA: Persecute all until enlightenment is reached. Leaden yet **led**.  
SHOHEI: We have no idea who to grill first. We're quicker to be **led** before them.

SHIGERU: The point being made is that there must be a **safer** method!  
KANNA: For both Kouki and Yukari to reach that conclusion... How much** safer **would it be?

MEI: If something is **wrong **with a brain, we cannot trust the brain.  
KOUKI: Temporary amnesia is bound to be cured eventually. Am I **wrong**?

_"This is our answer!"_

"Yukari... You can treat your own wounds, can't you? Shohei said as much when you passed out in the Lab. With that in mind, you're working to piece together your memory through... medical means, I guess?" Kouki blinked, realising just how weird what she just said was.

"Correct. Neuroscience isn't exactly my specialty, however." Yukari pulled on her bow with a small smile.

"Yet neuroscience you spit," Setsuka grumbled, "As did Renako Fuyuizumi."

"Now is not the time for your personal grudge." Yukari waved her hand at Setsuka, "Rather, if Kanna is still the top suspect... Well, let's talk about that."

_Nonstop Debate!  
Truth Bullet: Arrangement of the Crime Scene_

KANNA: The Rube Goldberg machine required precision. I'll admit that.  
SETSUKA: Testify. Whoever should else wish to formulate such a scheme?  
KANNA: I am... not sure.  
SHOHEI: I think Kanna is being set up if I-I'm being honest.  
MEI: Set up?  
SHOHEI: Yeah, like how you w-were last trial.  
MEI: I see. The stab wounds and the fabric...  
MEI: But how is Kanichi being set up?  
KANNA: The pieces of the mechanism that had been activated...  
_KANNA: Weren't they a little too neatly in place?_  
NISEKO: You coulda just cleaned up your mess, though.  
KANNA: True but...

"I agree with that!" Kouki nodded, "The Rube Goldberg is one thing, but that crime scene was picked up as well. Everything was in a proper position. Perfectly placed you could say."

"Kero ko reko ko reko?" Keroko frowned.

"'Does that not create more suspicion?'" Yukari translated. Her expression was a bit odd, Kouki thought, but she decided to ignore it for now.

"I think the last thing Kanna would do is arrange the crime scene. That honestly only makes him look guilty and I do hope that Kanna isn't idiotic enough to gloss over that." Kouki answered, aware of Kanna wincing at her words.

"I try not to be an idiot..." He muttered, covering his body with his cape.

"Oh, this is so dull!" Yukari threw her hands down suddenly, "Kanna Kanichi. You have evidence that would all but prove your innocence in this case and you refuse to present it. Do you recall what happened when Ami refused to admit to her blindness?"

"Yukari..." His voice was low and his face looked tight.

"One more chance, Kanna. Speak for yourself or I will do it for you." She matched his tone, "As you can imagine, I wish to find out who the Blackened is very much so that I can see them writhe in agony and watch as their hope is shattered into dust for their crime. So I am not playing around."

"Tch. I can't." He grit his teeth in a pained expression, "I cannot. And I beg of you, there must be another way to prove my innocence than this."

"Kanna Kanichi. For someone who tries not to be an idiot, you really are just a fool. What difference would it make if six other people knew of your secret? Well, soon to be five as, shortly, someone here will be gone." Yukari's mouth was a thin line, "In the Purification Chamber, Kanna and Haru found a list of seventeen students of Hope's Peak Academy set for relocation to the SRS. Abnormally, all of the talents were blocked out. It is quite ironic how three letters can change the meaning of a talent so much."

"Yukari!" His voice was an angry growl now and Kouki was taken aback by how much fury was in Kanna's silver eyes.

"I am a psychologist. I know just how a mental illness can impact someone's life. You should consider yourself lucky that it landed you a spot at such a prestigious school, Kanna Kanichi..." Yukari grinned the most evil grin Kouki had seen from her in a while and, right before Yukari finished her sentence, she watched as Kanna sighed, knowing that there was no stopping her, "The Ultimate Perfectionist, is it not?"

No one said anything and Kouki could see it around the room. No one looked particularly surprised, although Mei simply looked confused. Kanna smiled a defeated smile, "It doesn't sound so bad... Until you realise that I've been lying for two years. Lying to others and to myself. It doesn't sound so bad until you realise that it just means that I'm someone who can't let anything go."

"Y-You wouldn't have been able to nail one stick in the wall." Shohei grabbed his arm tightly, "The nail would have been slightly offset. Or the stick slightly crooked."

"I wish to object." Setsuka raised her arm and beside her Niseko shook her head in disbelief.

"Object!? Master... I... I'm just an AI and even I can tell that he's--"

"Shh... I cannot claim any certification in Yukari's twisted pronouncements until fabrication is dissociated from veracity." Setsuka looked at Yukari expectantly.

Kouki heard the crumpling of paper from Kanna's direction and he saw his hand balled up into a fist. Yukari gleefully spoke, "Do not hesitate now! I will ensure you hit your mark!"

With a confused glance toward the psychoanalyst, Kanna took a breath before throwing the paper he was holding toward Setsuka. However, the velocity was unrealistic for his throw and smacked Setsuka with so much force square in the forehead that she was almost knocked over. She let out a squeak as she steadied herself and Niseko covered her eyes. However, all the doll maker did was unravel the paper, "A profile... Kukuku... I concede. Such a document is beyond my vindication. Ultimate Perfectionist... Kukukukukuku... It is incontrovertible as to why you conceal your face in the shadows of untruth."

"As much as I am intrigued by this topic, we should continue, no?" Shigeru carried a very worried expression, "If not Kanna, we must find another suspect."

"I agree. We need to keep moving." Kouki agreed.

_Nonstop Debate!  
Truth Bullet: State of Haru's Body_

NISEKO: Er... So, the spear was rigged up and shot into Haru's heart.  
NISEKO: Is it really possible to be that precise?  
NISEKO: Was it really aimed for his heart?  
MEI: How was Tanioto in the proper position?  
YUKARI: Possibly the same way I was in the proper position.  
YUKARI: The details of which, I cannot recall.  
KEROKO: Kero...  
KEROKO: Keroko ko kore kero ko kore ro?  
YUKARI: 'What if there was no room for error?'  
KEROKO: Ko kokoro kero ko ko keroko kore koko reko?  
YUKARI: 'Could something ensure Haru was in the right position?'  
YUKARI: If I may interrupt, I was there at the crime scene.  
YUKARI: In a position to activate this trap and kill Haru.  
YUKARI: Surely I must've garnered his attention.  
_SETSUKA: Then we search for attestation to his position._  
NISEKO: If the toothpick was to Yukari's left and the track ran behind Haru...

"I agree with that!" Kouki nodded at Setsuka, "Well, I agree to there being an attestation. Due to the spear not completely piercing through Haru's body, Kanna and I determined that Haru was hit from behind. This makes sense if he was facing Yukari."

"So the killer used Nagakage as a distraction as well as the method of murder. Why was Nagakage so easily deceived?" Mei tilted her head, "This seems... uncharacteristic!"

"Yukari must have been in the Electrical Room for a reason. Was Haru there for the same reason? If so... What was that reason?" Shigeru took a deep breath.

Something could point them in the correct direction. But what?

_Hangman's Gambit: Ver.Sub_

GSR**_C_**DOGK**_E_**SRO**_L_**G**_L_**DGZRE**_O_**KGRS

"Understood!" Kouki first looked at Yukari, then at Mei, then back at Yukari, "Isn't it odd that Haru had his cello with him? In the Electrical Room of all places... That's not exactly the ideal location for a concert, is it? Mei, you've mentioned two things this trial that I'm going to use in this line of logic. First is that Haru's cello ended up becoming a weapon. Second is that odd statement you brought up. The one about Yukari being prepared to lay down her life."

Shohei took a step backward, "Oh shit... Y-You aren't gonna say that... No, no... H-Haru was planning to... Planning to..."

"Haru was going to become the Blackened. Am I wrong, Yukari?" Kouki glared at the psychoanalyst who sighed and looked at the ceiling.

"For someone to take all of the sin in others and be destroyed along with it... Well, such is the work of a god, I suppose. In the end, that was not my position to take." She let out a dry chuckle, "I should not be standing here, you are correct."

"Someone was privy to this plan of yours?" Setsuka tilted her head, "Enlighten me as to your thoughts. Your suspects, Yukari."

Yukari didn't answer, folding her arms.

"How long did they know, I wonder." Kanna murmured, "The speed at which this was executed might narrow things down..."

_Nonstop Debate!  
Truth Bullet: Mei's Account_

MEI: How long? How could we know that?  
YUKARI: Well, you would know.  
MEI: Me?  
SHOHEI: I-I'm having trouble believing that.  
MEI: As am I.  
SHIGERU: I have grown to trust Yukari's word so...  
KANNA: Mei knows something.  
MEI: I do not!  
_MEI: I do not know anything more than you._  
MEI: If I knew this answer, I would share it.  
NISEKO: Maybe you just forgot!

"No, that's wrong!" Kouki heard a slow cracking noise and looked down to see the jar in hands forming spiderweb cracks. Blinking, she tossed it to the side and continued after the shattering noise died down, "The manacle came from Amari's dorm, remember? And why were you investigating her dorm to begin with, Mei? Come on, I know you can remember."

"Ah, yes. A few days prior, I noticed it open. But no one was there," Mei admitted. "So, the killer then had at least a few days to plan."

"I d-doubt the Electrical Room gets much traffic." Shohei added, "Whether it was H-Haru's plan or the Blackened's... It makes for a discreet location..."

"We had the location picked by then..." Yukari muttered absentmindedly.

"As for the afterward manipulation?" Shigeru asked.

That was explained in...

"The Monokuma File says that the murder occurred at 12:53 PM. The killer would have had time to clean everything up and lay out the envelopes..." Kouki said slowly. "I really don't know who to suspect other than my own personal bias."

"Could it be... A murder of vengeance?" Kouki glanced at Niseko who had just spoken, "Maybe if someone really didn't want Yukari or Haru to die and so... They intervened?"

"Casting the child of the river into suspicion?" Setsuka asked the doll.

"Er... I don't think that's right. Maybe a different kind of 'not wanting to die'. More of a petty reason..?" Niseko's tone was very hesitant and with that, Yukari narrowed her eyes.

"Niseko. Do you mean that the Blackened did not want someone to die because... They'd rather do it themselves? Could that be what you are implying?" Her mouth curled into a smirk, "Are you telling us just who the Blackened is? Are you throwing a certain someone under the bus--"

_ **"YOUR WORDS ARE FALSE!"** _

"Nnnhhh!" Niseko grabbed her head, "My... My..."

Frowning, Kouki brought her gaze to Setsuka, but the doll maker stood as still as a statue.

"Setsuka isn't the Blackened. That's not what I meant at all!" Niseko cried out, thrusting her stubby arms forward.

"How cute." Kouki dryly commented, though she was curious as to how this would play out.

_Rebuttal Showdown!  
Truth Bullet: Spear_

NISEKO: Master didn't kill Haru! She wouldn't do that!  
NISEKO: It's... It's true that she doesn't like Yukari, but...  
NISEKO: Wouldn't she rather just kill Yukari instead of Haru?  
NISEKO: Or... could she want to see that look on--  
NISEKO: Aaagh!  
NISEKO: Master only hated Yukari because Yukari reminded her of Renako!  
NISEKO: Isn't this a shallow motive?  
NISEKO: She didn't really hate Yukari.  
NISEKO: She hated Renako!  
NISEKO: But master thoughts are all warped and--  
NISEKO: Aaaagh!!

_Advance!_

KOUKI: E-Even if Niseko is an AI, this is basically torture!  
KOUKI: Setsuka, what are you doing!?  
KOUKI: This only casts more suspicion on you, y'know...  
KOUKI: Niseko, snap out of it!  
NISEKO: Master didn't kill Haru... Believe me!  
NISEKO: She had just spoken to Haru not too long ago!  
NISEKO: All about herself. Personal stuff.  
NISEKO: She wouldn't kill him after that.  
NISEKO: But Marise was--  
NISEKO: Irrelevant! That's irrelevant!  
NISEKO: Ack!  
NISEKO: Without sufficient proof, you can't implicate master.  
NISEKO: After all, Yukari could have easily, accidentally triggered the trap.  
NISEKO: And with that amount of time...  
_NISEKO: Anyone could've set it up!_  
NISEKO: No... Please stop this...

"I will cut through your words!" Kouki growled, "And I'm not even gonna bother addressing Niseko. Setsuka! Tell me where the spear came from."

"I do not--"

"Sorry. You do know. And it wasn't Amari's dorm because I've been in there and all of those weapons are training weapons. Where did that spear come from?" Kouki repeated.

"K-Ku?" Setsuka raised an arm defensively.

"Out of our entire group, there were three that specialised in a craft trade. Yudai, the mask maker, and Rikuto, the welder, are dead. That leaves you, Setsuka, the doll maker. Everything you do and say is calculated, we were just distracted with Kanna. You made that spear and created an elaborate setup to squeeze as much despair from Yukari as you could. You murdered Haru!"

"Master. If you die, I know that Monokuma will shut me down," Niseko hung her head, "But that's okay. Because I've made my own friends here. I'm just an AI, but I have real bonds. Real feelings. I have more feelings than you could ever hope to have, master! I love you a lot. You are my mother... But you've forgotten how to feel."

"Kukukukukukukukuku!" Setsuka's cackle grew louder and louder, her grin frightening.

_Panic Talk Action!_

"You crave death. Desire mortum."  
"Stop this!"  
"Who precipitated the trap? I or Yukari?"  
"It was you, master!"  
"If you are incorrect, you shall perish."  
"I won't let them die!"  
"Do you possess conviction enough!"  
"You guys have to listen to me!"  
"Do you trust your judgment?"  
"Please!"

_AA C AAAA AB AAAB A C AABA BBB ABA BBA BBB B B A BA C ABB AAAA BBB C AA C AB BB_

"Kukuku..."  
"Master..."  
"Such is the way of life."  
"You'll let everyone here die..."  
"Existence is merely a game."  
"I know I said you forgot how to feel but..."  
"Life is a joke."  
"You aren't that cold-hearted... right?"  
"Termination is your answer."  
"Are your feelings toward me even real?"

_BA AA AAA A BAB BBB C BB AA BBA AAAA B C BAAA A C ABBA ABAA AB AAA B AA BABA_

"Sever your bonds, say your farewells!"  
"No one needs to say goodbye except us!"  
"Under this day's moon, someone will vanish."  
"The one who is dying is you, master!"  
"Become merely a specter. An apparition."  
"You're already a ghost of your former self."  
"Join the phantom in her haunting..."  
"If this is really your thoughts, you don't deserve to join her!"  
"Everyone!"  
"Farewell..."

_BAAA AAB B C AAA AAAA A ABBBBA AAA C BB BBB ABA A C AAAA AAB BB AB BA C B AAAA AB BA C AA_

"Very well. Send to me your ultimate regards!"

**YUKA RI'S MEMO RIES**

"Time to end this!" Kouki glared at the ground before raising a finger to point at Yukari, "Niseko is dead set on saying that Setsuka triggered the trap, not you. What do you have to say."

"Haru told me to stay put. I had no intention of moving a muscle. And then the yarn snapped." She answered quietly.

"Kouki? You know how Haru always went through the case step-by-step? I'd... appreciate it if you did that. I don't want master weaseling her way out of this one," Though Niseko's expression was as unchanging as ever, her voice was weak and Kouki felt she had no choice.

_Closing Argument._

_Start!_

"We all knew something was wrong the moment the motive was revealed. It was too generous for Monokuma to present us with an infinite time limit, so a lot of us came to the conclusion that someone already had killing intent. In actuality, two people had reached a mutual understanding. Haru and Yukari were already plotting a murder. However, when they were discussing it, someone must have caught wind of it and began to devise a murder of their own. They began preparing behind the scenes, gathering supplies from all over, including the Arboretum, the Shed, the Supply Room, and Amari's Dorm. In the Electrical Room, they began to set up, nailing sticks to the wall to create a path that led to the other end of the room. They propped a gardening knife against the final stick, tying it to the wall. Under that was a large rubber band, holding a spear of the Blackened's own making. To finish the trap, the killer must have balanced a stick on a toothpick so that the ball they'd taken from the Supply Room wouldn't roll down prematurely. Finally, they suspended a mallet from the air. Fast forward to today. Yukari and Haru enter the Electrical Room. I can only imagine how high the adrenaline and apprehension must've been. These exact conditions must've dulled Yukari's perception, allowing the stealthy Blackened to put the finishing touches on the trap. Namely, hooking Yukari's sleeve to the toothpick and chaining up Haru. Because of the nature of a manacle, I can only assume this is what alerted them. Stuck between a rock and a hard place, Yukari knew that moving meant triggering the trap and killing Haru, but the mallet above her head meant that she'd suffer the blow instead. She had to make a choice. However, the Blackened didn't actually have any intention of letting her choose, instead, triggering the trap themselves. As well, they let the mallet fall, but I think the Blackened intended the outcome of a nonfatal wound and amnesia. Yes, they were calculated enough to even factor in that. After all, this was an act of pure vengeance and hatred. With Yukari downed and Haru dead, the Blackened tidied up the crime scene and then went to access the motive to mock the rest of us."

"Everything is finally laid out and I think we can all agree that only one person in this room is twisted enough to execute a murder of this nature. Would you agree with me, Setsuka, the Ultimate Doll Maker?" Setsuka licked her lips as she turned away, Niseko burying her face in her hands. At last, the resolution had been reached.

  


For a brief moment, the only thing that was real to Kouki was her heartbeat. Setsuka stood unmoving as Niseko scaled down to stand on the ground. The doll stared up at Monokuma with her glassy pink eyes, waiting for him to speak.

“Well, well. That’s a fourth trial you all can put under your belt. The Blackened is indeed Setsuka!” Monokuma clapped his paws in applause, “Now, hurry on up and say your goodbyes.”

The doll maker turned around but still didn’t speak. Instead, the doll spoke for her, “Master was angry that someone would try to kill Yukari instead of her. I used to think that all people were like Setsuka but... I was wrong. I know that through getting to know all of you. Even though she was the one to speak to you all before, I was the one who learned and grew from those interactions. When I was told to kill Renako, I didn’t know that it was wrong. I didn’t know that master was an abnormality. But I realised that no one here has just killed for self-satisfaction. Only master.”

“Haru died because of Setsuka and Yukari’s feud, then? He was just caught in the crossfire!?” Kouki growled, her head low.

“I think Setsuka was also realising that she could have tried to be a better person. That’s why she left the notes she did. She knows what it’s like to bottle things up and keep them inside. Even though you were definitely the target of her framing, Kanna, she gave you a very strong piece of evidence supporting you. I’m not going to say it was the right thing because none of this was, but... Four strong clues and a fifth.” Niseko glanced at Setsuka as if worried that Setsuka might lash out at her.

“A fifth clue? Ah, but... You can then confirm that all of the others were, indeed, factual documents?” Shigeru asked, scratching his neck. “The school?”

“Yeah, the school’s real... Master couldn’t find out why, but she had her own suspicions. The fifth clue... Setsuka has the first part and the second is... recorded. On me.” Niseko rubbed her hands together, “We learned a lot of things and I wish I could stay with you guys and go through everything but I know that I’m going to die with master.”

“Yet...” Setsuka opened her mouth for the first time since the votes had been accepted, “You shall not expel my child, Monokuma, am I correct? Perish, perchance, vanish not.”

“I didn’t take away the masks or the pocket watch or the hoop or the whip. Everyone needs a memoir, don’t you think? A reminder of the lost, right? Puhuhuhu!” Monokuma giggled, “It’s like towing around a corpse. How despairful!”

“Yukari. Did I impress you?” Setsuka hung her head, gripping her collar tightly.

“What..?” The psychoanalyst narrowed her eyes. Until then, she had merely been staring, perhaps contemplating the very moral question Kouki had been. “I see, then.”

“If your reply remains trapped, then so it shall be.” Setsuka slipped some papers to the person closest to her, Keroko, and looked back up, “Niseko speaks but the truth. She bears false memory of a time long past.”

“To think...” Yukari climbed over her podium to stand in front of Setsuka, “This whole time all of your anger and hatred had such a simple solution. Because of the damage that has been done, the irreparable damage, your mind glossed over your deepest emotion and the answer to that emotion. You have stated over and over, just as Niseko is a proxy to you, I am, in your mind, a proxy to Renako.”

“Renako Fuyuizumi...” Setsuka growled lowly, “Renako...”

“When it comes down to it, in some ways, you are still that child you were back before you were caught up in Renako’s mess.” Yukari sighed, “There is... no such thing as an unforgivable sin. Even this... Even this...”

Yukari’s voice was full of melancholy, Kouki recognised and she felt her face grow hot in anger once again, “You really are despicable. Haru is dead and Setsuka did it. Now you’re going to forgive her just to fulfill your messed up morality?”

“Kanna, do you hate Marise for killing Amari?” Yukari said without turning, “There is no need to hate anyone. Everyone in this room and everyone who once was in this room is a victim. There is only one true Blackened. I will stand by this and whether you do or do not, Kouki, is none of my business. What I hate is the fact that Haru is gone. Who I hate is the mastermind. Not Setsuka nor Niseko.”

Kouki didn’t respond, instead, biting her lip and turning away.

“It is killing without purpose that is wrong. This is what I tried to tell Yumekuu. But she didn’t listen. She thought that she was wrong anyway. But all of her anger disappeared anyway... She decided that she didn’t need to hate herself and that’s because other people helped her. Kita did not forgive herself because of the devil. I do not know who the devil is, but Kita did not like them and hated herself because of them.” Mei shook her head, “I do not know what else to say. Though, I nearly forgot. Thank you for what you gave me. I deeply appreciate it.”

Shigeru curiously tilted his head toward Mei before redirecting his attention as Yukari began to speak, “The devil. Mei has a point, even if she does not know how to connect it. I told Haru that Marise hated herself because of her relation to her mother. He already knew this, of course...” Yukari narrowed her eyes as if scrutinising Setsuka, “Very well. I trust this time you won’t lash out at me?”

Setsuka grabbed her podium as if suddenly dizzy and looked into Yukari’s eyes, Kouki able to see the doll makers' glare penetrating through, “...Speak.”

Yukari cautiously extended an arm, as if approaching an injured beast, and spoke quietly, “Miyako Fuyuizumi, you have indeed impressed me. In death, I hope that you can finally find peace with yourself.”

“Ku... ku... ku...” Setsuka dropped her head as her shoulders began to shake, “Kukukukukukukukukukuku!”

Niseko ran over to Keroko, enveloping the frog girl in a hug, “I’m sorry that I have to leave you alone now. You have no one left and I... I’m sorry I couldn’t stay here with you. Can you please... hold me? I think I’m going to die as master dies... I’m not afraid of death... I’m afraid of how losing one more person, even just an AI like me, will make you feel.”

“K-Kerooo...” Keroko’s croak was pained as she returned the hug.

“Upupupupu! Sounds like it’s time! Everybody, listen up! I’ve prepared a very special punishment for Setsuka, or shall I say Miyako Fuyuizumi, the Ultimate Doll Maker!” Monokuma rose a paw curled into a fist, “It’s punishment time!”

Yukari snapped her fingers, jerking her head toward Shohei who was, once more, slumped over his podium. For a moment he was shrouded in red smoke before he stumbled backward, drowsily. Blinking, he cut his yawn short as he quickly surmised what was happening.

“Everyone!” Setsuka spun around, her arms extended, “I say once more in finality, farewell!”

Frankenstein’s Witch - Miyako Fuyuizumi - Ultimate Doll Maker

Setsuka stood in a cold, dim room. She turned her head to see a doll hanging from the ceiling, not dissimilar to the doll of Renako in her room. Strings from the doll were hooked to her rings and, as she looked around, she saw five others. Whatever was about to happen, there was no running. She stared at her fingers wondering for the briefest moment if she could break the strings but merely blinked as she realised the “strings” were thin metal wires. Somehow they had been grafted onto her rings and she knew that taking them off would take far too much time. So when one of the dolls raised its arms, its fingers erupting into large metal claws, she knew that any attempt would be futile. The others did the same until, at once, they began spinning at unimaginable speeds and the doll maker smirked. She understood where it was going. She winced and staggered as the first one cut into her side, just below her ribcage. She felt a wire enter her body at an odd angle but she hardly had a mind to consider it as the assaulted her one right after the other, again and again. Setsuka began to giggle, first starting off as a small noise until she burst into a maniacal fit of laughter. Tears from the pain began to sting her eyes and she stopped suddenly. When was the last time she cried? Surely it was one of the experiments performed by... She suddenly howled in anger. She was the puppeteer. These strings were tied to _her_. With a tortured, twisted grin, she swung her arms back to build momentum before crossing them in front of her. Her heaving gasp was the last noise she made as the devastating wounds caused by the dolls slicing through and the wires deeply pressing into vital organs cut her life short near immediately.

Execution: Executed.

\---  


Kouki’s shaking, sweaty fist was pressing into her chest as she watched, wide-eyed, as the screen showing the gruesome remains of the doll maker flickered into black static. Watching as Rikuto melted, Ami fought shadows, and Marise desperately tried to claw herself to safety felt like nothing now and she knew why. She suddenly recalled that far-off, blank expression Haru wore after he witnessed an execution. Kouki had pointed the finger at Setsuka and, because of that, Setsuka died.

“That was... unintended. But whatever! She’s dead anyway now, so... I did my job.” Monokuma grinned with glee, “Puhuhuhu! Have fun with your cadaver. You know what’s waiting for you upstairs, don’t you?”

Monokuma waved before crawling behind his podium, out of sight. Kouki felt a hand on her shoulder and turned to see Shohei. He carried on his face a sorrowful, but knowing expression.

Silence pervaded for a moment longer before there was a sharp inhale, “I have pondered it long enough. Kanna, I believe it is time for you to explain yourself, no? Why, exactly, the man I’ve known for two years suddenly must tell me that he’s been lying since we met?”

Shigeru gingerly passed Haru’s podium to look Kanna in the eye. Once more, he turned away, using his cape like a barricade between him and Shigeru, “You of all people should know, Shigeru, what it’s like to want to escape who you are. That overwhelming desire to be something, anything, else. The things I do and the things I know... They are all real. But the core me is a lie and I’ve never been able to face the truth.”

“I do not understand. What is the difference?” Mei shook her head, confused.

“Ultimate Perfection. The implication that one cannot fail. That one is flawless in every aspect. Ultimate Perfectionist. Someone who is cursed to keep kicking that dead horse until the very atoms themselves have been annihilated. I chose to live with the burden of proving myself to not be a stuck-up, privileged brat over having people discriminate against me for something outside of my control.” Kanna sighed, dropping his arm, “So I lied. And the only person who knew was Amari because, in a relationship like that, I couldn’t hide it. And eventually, that’s why she broke up with me. My perseveration over everything annoyed even her.”

“S-So... Uh, are we gonna talk about the fact th-that no one really reacted when Yukari s-said that?” Shohei rubbed the back of his head, “‘Cause I can o-only speak for myself but... honestly, it makes a lot more sense than ‘Perfection’.”

Shigeru nodded his agreement and added, “You were so worried, and for what? This doesn’t change how we see you in the slightest.”

“I lied to you, Shigeru.” Kanna growled, looking down, “I lied to everyone.”

“It just proves to me that you are just human, like the rest of us.” Shigeru smiled softly, “Chin up, Kanna. It doesn’t matter if you’re perfect or a perfectionist. Even if you had no talent at all, you’d still be Kanna and that’s what matters, doesn’t it?”

“...Right. We have bigger problems anyway,” Kanna turned to look at Keroko, whose face was buried in Niseko’s limp body, “Keroko?”

She rose her head, her red eyes glittering with tears. She wiped them dry with her gloved hand and sighed, a low rumble coming from the back of her throat. She stood up, on two legs, and held out the doll. Niseko was about half of her height and she seemed to have trouble carrying her. Taking hesitant steps, one at a time, she approached Yukari, “Kero... Ko kero?”

Yukari blinked, glancing between Niseko and Keroko, “I have no doubt that as long as we are in this shelter and the mastermind runs wild, anything regarding Niseko other than that recording will be permitted. But if I get out of here, you have my word.”

“Kero.” She grunting, narrowing her eyes.

“_When_ I get out. My, you place too much faith in me, love.” Yukari shook her head, “After all... Right now, I shouldn’t be here. At this very moment, it should have been you six and Setsuka with everything you needed to apprehend the mastermind and escape. But she had to meddle in our affairs and mess it up. Such a devastating curveball. She had no idea what she was doing but, even so, this game continues because of her.”

“Make up your mind, will you? Are you or are you not mad at Setsuka?” Kouki lifted her head, no compassion in her large eyes. “What was that even about? Setsuka’s name, Miyako Fuyuizumi. Does that mean..?”

“Renako Fuyuizumi was Miyako’s mother. Miyako fled from her household after brutally murdering Renako and lived alone in a forest, taking the pen name ‘Setsuka’. She cut all ties with Renako and denied any relation with her.” Yukari explained, taking Niseko from Keroko. With the heavy doll relieved, she fell back down to a crouch, “Niseko was modelled after a doll made by Miyako’s father. A doll designed after Miyako herself. Setsuka barely touched Niseko’s design and personality, so one could say that Niseko became Miyako and the girl who was destroyed by neuroscientific experiments became Setsuka. This is why, in the end, the more human out of the two was the doll.”

“But neither had a proper mind, you mean? Niseko was an AI and Setsuka was apparently mentally destroyed.” Kouki folded her arms, “So how can either of them be ‘human’?”

“Niseko was not meant to have a growing AI. That means that the mastermind manipulated her programming. The doll took all of the memories Setsuka built while in the Control Room and adjusted accordingly,” Yukari set Niseko down on her podium, “The only reason I can think of is this very situation. Creating another person in which we could create real bonds with whose fate was ultimately not her own. Thus, our parting with her was truly unfair. Setsuka and Niseko worked together in killing Haru, this is true. However, Niseko was under Setsuka’s control and this is why she fought so hard, in the end, to protect us over her master.”

Kanna reached into his pocket, pulling out a paper and pen. As he unfolded it, Kouki recognised it as the list of students he and Haru had found in the Purification Chamber. “So. Miyako Fuyuizumi. The first one missing on the list. That’s one down, I suppose.”

Keroko looked at Kanna and then hopped over, “Kero? Keroko!” She pointed at a spot on the paper.

“Is that you?” Kanna eyed her and the frog girl nodded excitedly, “What is your name? Ah... Whatever. So you’re the second one on this list... That leaves the two that are right next to each other. One has to be Suisei. The other... We don’t know. As for the talents, they were probably only blocked out for my sake. But I suppose we cannot rule out the possibility that someone else is lying.”

“As far as I know, that isn’t the case. And I know a lot, as you know. You were the only one, love. Herpetologist, ninja, psychoanalyst, perfectionist, cosmetologist, abstract artist, and barista. As for me--”

“Ami c-confirmed your talent back when the torture motive was r-revealed.” Shohei interrupted, “Anyway... I think we should m-meet up in the Meeting Room and go over those p-papers and the recording.”

“Kero...” Keroko held up the papers and nodded. She was the first to head to the elevator, the others slowly following.

As he started to move, Yukari extended an arm, “Kanna. I would like to talk to you later. Consider it a therapy session, on the house. I know how interested you are in the talents of other people so what better opportunity for you to see mine in action? Mei can attest, my skills are unparalleled.”

“I... Alright. There’s no reason for me to decline.” Kanna admitted and the perfectionist quickly moved to join the others.

**Author's Note:**

> I thank you for reading Sub.Mel!


End file.
